Voice
by DuchessRaven
Summary: During the search for the eighth child, Myotismon meets a girl with a beautiful voice. Four years later they meet again in 02 time, is it love?...or is it something else? FINISHED! Please R
1. Part 1

Night.  
  
Night was the idea time to inflict fear, and human blood always tasted better with a dash of fear in it. It added to the flavor.  
  
Myotismon stood inside the large glass dome of the TV station, facing the outside, watching his fog surround Odeiba. The sky appeared to be a deep purple. No stars showed, nor the moon. All light had been banished from the area surrounding the tower. Victory was at hand.  
  
He was along in the room, but many sounds drifted from beneath. Voices filled the TV station. Hundreds of children were crying, sobbing their little hearts out and wondering why they were here. Phantomon and his minions, the Bakemon, were patrolling the floor, mostly to make sure the kids were too scared to run away. Gatomon and Wizardmon have not returned from their search. Myotismon snarled. They were late. And if they didn't bring back something useful, there would be hell to pay.  
  
He turned away from the window and headed downstairs, walking instead of levitating, something he normally did to put fear in humans. Today, however, he was too frustrated to care what the humans thought. The eighth child seemed to be within his grasp, yet out of reach. No matter. He or she was bound to be one of the many children captured. The child will be revealed soon enough and ground to dust.  
  
What's frustrating was that he had no clue as to what the child looked like. The kid could be a boy, as young as seven years old, with hair black as the night, or a girl, as old as fourteen, with faded green eyes. The possibilities were too many and there was no sure way to narrow them down except to hold the crest up to them one by one.  
  
Myotismon walked down the stairs and came out onto the floor that had been made into the detention area. Children of all shape and size were sitting on the floor, some sitting in a daze, some talking excitedly, and a few were sleeping with tears hanging on their faces. The ones that were awake spotted him and shrunk into corners, trying to make themselves invisible. Normally, such a display of obvious fear would have pleased him, but today he couldn't care less.  
  
Phantomon floated in front of him and took a bow. "Good evening, lord Myotismon," he rasped. "How may I be of service?"  
  
Myotismon waved him off. He wasn't in the mood to give orders, not tonight. Phantomon bowed again and went back to his patrolling. Myotismon walked slowly among the children, who scrambled to get out of his way when he neared. They stared at him with wide, frightful eyes as if he was their worst nightmare coming true.  
  
In a way, I suppose I am, he thought.  
  
After all, these children didn't know whether they'd ever go home again, or where their family and friends were. They were locked in a prison with pale ghosts and a real vampire. It satisfied him a little to at least see them fear him.  
  
Something came at him from the side. With a quick movement, he turned at caught it effortlessly. A few children gasped. Myotismon tossed the object in his hand. It was a large blue marble. In the direction it came from, a boy about eight years stood, looking quite miffed, staring at him defiantly.  
  
Myotismon looked at the boy. He had bushy brown hair and a wild, confident look in his eyes. A pair of old goggles hung in front of his chest. An amused sneer appeared on Myotismon's face as he approached the boy. Other children scampered away, but not far, in hopes of seeing how this turns out. A circle was formed, leaving the boy and Myotismon in the middle.  
  
The boy didn't back down as the tall digimon stopped in front of him, still holding the marble. Instead, he glared angrily, like a lion cub ready to fight.  
  
Myotismon extended his palm, holding the marble to the boy. "Is this yours?" He asked.  
  
The boy was still glaring at him. "Yeah," he said and made a movement to grab it.  
  
Myotismon withdrew his hand, clutching the marble in his fist. "What's your name?" he said flatly.  
  
The boy rubbed his nose. "Davis," he said. "What's it to you?"  
  
He's got a lot of spirit, Myotismon thought. Could he be... Maybe. Just maybe. I'll be keeping an eye on him tomorrow during the examinations.  
  
"All right, Davis," Myotismon tossed the marble from one hand to the other. "Do you realize you could die for what you just did?"  
  
Davis cocked his head, showing no fear whatsoever. "Yeah, so what?" he snapped. "You're gonna kill us anyway."  
  
Myotismon laughed. The sound made a group of younger girls burst into tears. "You're awfully sure of yourself," he said to Davis. "But that's your weakness." He tightened his fist, crushing the marble. When his hand opened again, there was little left but specks glassy dust that dropped onto the floor. Davis flinched but did not back down.  
  
Myotismon turned from the boy and walked away. He could feel Davis's angry stare in his back, but he didn't care. He admired the boy to a certain degree. It wasn't everyday you see a child with that much spunk. A shame that if he turned out to be the eighth digidestined, he would have to be killed.  
  
He made a gesture to Phantomon, who nodded and waved his hand. Instantly, all the lights on the floor extinguished, leaving darkness. Shrieks of terror rose from the children. In a while it quieted down and he heard Phantomon rasp, "go to sleep. You all got a big day tomorrow."  
  
A sleeping spell was cast, and gradually, all the kids dropped to sleep, leaning on each other for comfort and warmth. Though the darkness, Myotismon could make out Davis, leaning against the wall, sleeping peacefully and clutching his goggles with one hand.  
  
Phantomon went to him. "May I be of any other service, my lord?" he asked.  
  
"That will be all for tonight. Now leave me alone," Myotismon said. Phantomon gathered the all the Bakemon and left the floor. Myotismon stood there for a while, watching the sleeping children. One of them was the eighth child, and tomorrow, when Gatomon and Wizardmon return with the last of the candidates, the judgment will begin.  
  
There was little sound in the wide room now. The steady breathing of children filled the air. Myotismon began to head toward the stairs again, preparing to rest before the judgment day.  
  
Just as he reached the stairwell, an unfamiliar sound rang out. He stopped for a moment and listened. It faded, then rose again. Someone was singing, and quite beautifully, too. Curious, he left the stairs and headed toward the source of the sound.  
  
Near one of the giant windows, a thin silhouette sat by the glass, seeming to be looking outside, despite the fact that the inside and outside were equally dark. Myotismon approached the shadow, and stood out of sight, just close enough to hear the words it was singing.  
  
"I've sure enjoyed the rain  
  
but I'm looking forward to the sun  
  
You have to feel the pain  
  
When you lose the love you gave someone  
  
I thought by now the time  
  
Would take away the lonely tears  
  
I hope you're doing time all alone  
  
But where do I do from here 'cause..."  
  
The melody was unlike any he'd ever heard before. It went up and down, like the confession of a naked soul. The voice raised as it came to another part.  
  
"Without you I'm not okay  
  
And without you I've lost my way.  
  
My heart's stuck in second place ooh  
  
Without you..."  
  
A pause. The figure in front of the window adjusted itself and pressed its face against the window, feeling the cold, then straightened up again and continued.  
  
"Lying here without you by my side,  
  
It seems unreal to me that  
  
The life you promised was a lie.  
  
You made it look so easy  
  
Making love into memories  
  
I guess you got what you wanted  
  
But what about me 'cause..."  
  
The song was sad and beautiful. Myotismon moved a few steps closer and looked at the figure. It was a young girl, about thirteen years old. She was thin and delicate, with black hair that fell almost to her waist. She was sitting with her arms wrapped around her knees and gazing out the window. The cloth she wore was entirely black and rather shabby, contrasting her pale skin. There was a mournful look in her eyes that could have melted a heard of stone. She was rocking lightly back and force, singing as if she was alone in the world.  
  
"Without you I'm not okay  
  
And without you I've lost my way.  
  
My heart's stuck in second place ooh  
  
Without you..."  
  
The lyrics were so touching that Myotismon felt a little lost in the song. He took another step forward and felt his foot strike something. An object cluttered away from him and the singing stopped immediately. The girl straightened up and looked in his direction. For a long moment, they were unmoving in the dark, staring at each other. The girl looked so fragile and elegant, like the shadow of a rose. He could feel her eyes linger on him and mentally cursed himself for been clumsy. Now she's afraid and he would never hear the rest of that lovely song.  
  
But to his surprise, the girl didn't seem to be afraid. She regarded him curiously, then, without a word, turned to the window again and continued her song.  
  
"Somebody tell my head  
  
to try to tell my heart  
  
that I'm better off without you  
  
'cause I can't live..."  
  
Myotismon stepped forward, expecting her to shrink away like all the others, but she went on singing as if he wasn't there at all. He move close to her and stood right next to her in front of the window. She didn't pause her singing, but looked up at him and smiled slightly. He found himself smiling back as he listened to her voice flow in the darkness.  
  
"Without you I'm not okay  
  
And without you I've lost my way  
  
My heart's stuck in second place ooh  
  
Without you."  
  
When the last of the song vanished into the chilly air, the child lifted her head and gazed at him. He saw that her eyes were black and shiny, and deep like a void into the night.  
  
"Aren't you going to sit down?" she asked, as if addressing an old friend in the park. Myotismon was a little taken back at her frankness.  
  
"Do you know who I am?" he said, slightly confused.  
  
The girl nodded, her black hair rippling with the movement. "Yeah, I know who you are," she said. "Everyone knows who you are. If we didn't know, that guy with the hood told us." Myotismon didn't have to guess to know she was referring to Phantomon.  
  
"Aren't you afraid of me?" he asked. Two spunky children in the same day, that was interesting.  
  
"I was," the girl said slowly. "But if you were gonna hurt me, you wouldn't done it already... right?"  
  
Myotismon wasn't particularly sure what to say to that. "I suppose so," he said lamely.  
  
"And you were listening to me sing," she continued. "The only people who listen to me sing are the ones that like me, and that's not many. Besides, I figured the worst you could do was kill me." She gazed out the window again. "And I have nothing to lose."  
  
A child that was ready to die. Myotismon found himself strangely disturbed by this and at a lack for words. The child looked at him slanted out of the corner of her eye.  
  
"So are you going to sit?" she asked, gesturing at a space next to her. To his own surprise, Myotismon sat. He planted himself next to her and she smiled.  
  
"That was a beautiful song," he said. The girl simply shrugged.  
  
"I used to sing a lot," she said. "Nowadays I don't sing that much. I was singing then because I thought I was going to die soon, and I might as well die doing something I love."  
  
"What's your name?" Myotismon asked, a little shocked to find he actually cared.  
  
"Varia," the girl said. "My name is Varia, Lord Myotismon."  
  
Myotismon smiled. "You don't need to call me that," he said. "Myotismon will do fine."  
  
Varia cocked her head curiously. "Really?" she said. "That must be quite a privilege, considering the way the other...monster...talk to you."  
  
"They're not monsters. They're digimon."  
  
"Digimon?" Varia thought the word over. "Is that what you are, too?"  
  
Myotismon nodded. "Yes."  
  
"Interesting."  
  
"Don't you want to ask why we're here? That's what everyone seems to want to know."  
  
Varia laughed softly. "I'm not everyone," she said. "I don't really care why you're here. Everyone's got a purpose, but not everyone wants to tell everyone else what it is. You must be here because you have your own goal, and I'm not going to pry."  
  
Such deep words from such a young mind. Myotismon was pleasantly surprised. This girl was something special indeed.  
  
"So you're locked in a tower, surrounded by fog, and have no idea whether you'll ever see your family or friends again, and you're not even interested in why?"  
  
Varia shrugged. "Like I said, I have nothing to lose."  
  
"Aren't you worried you'll never see your family again?"  
  
"I don't have much of a family," the girl said, as casually as if discussing the weather. "My mom's dead and my step dad beats when he's drunk and tries to rape me when he's not. I've lived on the streets for six month. To tell you the truth, when those ghost things came to get me, I came with them willingly." She gestured at the dark interior of the tower. "At least it's warm in here. Sleeping under bridges get pretty cold at night."  
  
Myotismon felt a flood of unfamiliar emotions rush at him. First there was sympathy, seeing this poor girl so defenseless in a great big world. Then there was anger, toward the real world that would let such a poor, lovely creature suffer. But what surprised him the most was guilt. He felt guilty, guilty at the fact that this girl may not be the only unfortunate child in his capture. For a while he was at a lack for words. He glanced around realized Varia was staring at him.  
  
"Are you evil?" she asked. He almost burst out laughing at the question.  
  
"Yes," he said, trying not to snicker.  
  
"I think you're wrong," Varia said matter-of-factly. "I think you're only pretending to be evil."  
  
Myotismon's gaze hardened. "Is that so?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah. I think you're only evil so you'll have a purpose in life. Do you like living?"  
  
It was an odd question. "Of course. It happens to be my destiny to rule the digital world and the real world," he said with a hint of pride.  
  
"Whatever," Varia said lightly. "See, you have your own goal, and to make it you need to be evil. If you're like me, without a will to live, you wouldn't be evil."  
  
Myotismon studied her blank expression and saw with surprise that she seemed to find the idea of death totally natural, like walking or breathing. "Why do you have no will to live?" he asked.  
  
"I have nothing," the girl said. "And I've run out of places to look."  
  
"You have your singing," Myotismon said. "When I take over the world, I'll need a few good singers for entertainment."  
  
Varia looked at him with amusement. "All right," she said. "When you take over the world, look me up."  
  
Myotismon thought for a moment. "Do you want to leave?" he asked. "If you want to, I can let you go right now."  
  
The girl shook her head. "Where would I go?" she said. Slowly, she raised one hand and ran it across the cold window. Her fingers were long and flimsily, like stems of flowers. "I like been here, looking into the night." She gazed into the darkness. "And talking to you."  
  
For the first time in his life, Myotismon felt warm inside, as if a long extinguished flame had been relit. Gently, he put one arm around Varia's shoulders. Her skin felt good against him. "That song you were singing," he said, "sounded like it was for somebody." The girl nodded.  
  
"A lost love," she said.  
  
"You lost someone?"  
  
"No, but I know I will. I always do." They were both silent for a moment. Finally, Myotismon spoke up.  
  
"Will you sing another song?" Varia didn't speak. A moment later, the sound of her voice filled the chilly air.  
  
"Cowboy take me away  
  
fly this girl as high as you can  
  
into the wild blue  
  
set me free oh I pray  
  
Closer to heaven above and  
  
Closer to you closer to you"  
  
Myotismon drew the girl closer. She went to him and kept on singing.  
  
"I wanna walk and not run  
  
I wanna skip and not fall  
  
I wanna look at the horizon and not see  
  
A building standing tall  
  
I wanna be the only one  
  
For miles and miles  
  
Except for maybe you  
  
And your simple smile"  
  
He slid his other hand across her cheek. She smiled at his touch and turned her eyes to his. Her lips were still moving, pumping out the melody that sounded more distant by the second.  
  
"I said I wanna touch the earth  
  
I wanna break it in my hands  
  
I wanna grow something  
  
Wild and unruly  
  
Oh it sounds so good to me"  
  
He held her chin and tilted it up, brining it closer to his face. Varia wrapped one of her arms around his neck as he kissed her cheek gently.  
  
"Cowboy take me away  
  
Fly this girl as high as you can  
  
Into the wild blue  
  
Set me free oh I pray  
  
Closer to the heaven above and  
  
Closer to you" she was whispering the words now  
  
"Closer to you  
  
Cowboy take me away  
  
Closer to you..."  
  
She closed her eyes dreamily as he moved her lips to his, closer, closer...  
  
"Lord Myotismon!" A crash, and several shocked cries of awakened children. Phantomon burst into the room. Surprise, Varia peeled herself away from Myotismon and had vanished into the shadows by the time the lights blinked on.  
  
"What?!" Myotismon snarled.  
  
"My lord, something is terribly wrong with Gatomon and Wizardmon, you must come at once!" Phantomon babbled nervously.  
  
"All right. Tell the Bakemon to keep an eye on these kids," Myotismon began to head out. "But DO NOT hurt them," he added.  
  
At the door, he cast one last quick look toward the kids. There was a thin shadow hiding in a corner, watching him carefully. He sighed and walked out, knowing in his heart he may never see her again.  
  
To be continued... maybe, unless y'all like it ending here. 


	2. Part 2

Part 2  
  
The streets were cold this time of year. It would start to snow soon, which meant she needed to find shelter once more. Her cloth was getting too thin for the weather, not that they were sufficient any other time of year. A chilly breeze tore through her thin, worn jacket and made her shudder. She gazed up at the sky and saw miles and miles of gray cloud.  
  
Not that it was a bad day. It was Christmas. People were bustling in and out of stores, chatting happily and buying gifts. The shops were decorated with various colors of lights and ornaments, not to mention trees of all shapes and sizes. She stopped at a large window display and peered in. A small tree was magnificently lit. Brightly colored gift boxes were piled underneath, surrounded by a miniature model railroad. A little black train was tooting its whistle and running happily. It was that time of year, the time to be happy and celebrate.  
  
She wanted to smile, but couldn't, for she knew well that no gift in the shop was for her and no parties would be likely to invite a pale, homeless girl. Sighing, she left the window and walked toward her "home".  
  
It was merely an alley and nothing more. When she first came to this place, there were other homeless people here, and they took her in. Now, they're all gone, some died, some arrested, and others drifted away, leaving a pile of crates and boxes that she now lived in. She had no idea how long she was going to stay, or how long before some cops come and chase her out of it. For now, this was the closest thing to a home she had.  
  
The alley was nicely concealed and with little light, all the easier to hide it from the nosy city inspectors. She stepped in to the dim passageway and headed for the box she called her "bedroom."  
  
And stopped when she realized she was not alone. Every muscle in her tensed up when she saw the figure standing at the end of the alley, leaning against the cold wall, unmoving like a shadow. It seemed to spot her and straightened up.  
  
"About time you got here," the figure said. It was a woman's voice. "I've been expecting you."  
  
There was something familiar about her. "Do I know you?"  
  
"No, but you will want to." The woman walked toward her. "Varia, is it?"  
  
She twitched. Few people knew her by that name anymore. "How did you know my name?" she demanded.  
  
"That's not important." The woman stepped into the light. She was tall and chillingly beautiful, with hair the color of silver moonlight that fell past her waist. She was wearing a slim red dress with boots and a tall red hat. Her hands were concealed with purple elbow-length gloves. She looked at her intensely from behind a pair of violet shades. "What do you like to be called nowadays?"  
  
"Blade."  
  
"Blade... nice." The woman twisted her finger around a strand of silver hair absently. "So, Blade. I know all about you... Did you know what?"  
  
She crossed her arms and stood her ground. She'd dealt with too bad creeps and crooks to be intimidated by this woman. "Should I care?"  
  
"Yes you should. I know that you have no family, no friends, and this"—a gesture at the alley—"is what you call a home."  
  
She uttered a dry laugh. "Everyone knows that."  
  
"And I know why you left home four years ago. Your daddy got drunk and tried to get friendly, isn't that right?"  
  
A chill filled her body even though she was out of the wind. "How did you know what?"  
  
"I also know that he beat your mom to death but you never told." The finger went around the hair, once, twice. The girl named Blade watched it, and found herself in a trance. The woman's voice suddenly sounded so close and yet so far. "I know you changed your name to Blade because one day you want revenge, and you're tired of running. I know that you never want to be weak again, because been weak killed your mama." The woman drew near her and Blade found herself unable to move, as if held in place with invisible bonds. The woman's eyes peered out at her from behind the shades and she saw that whatever this woman was, she was not human. Her eyes were deep, commanding, and swirled like a golden galaxy. "You want to be strong, don't you?" the woman whispered. Blade nodded numbly. "Then come with me." a piece of paper was handed to her. "I will take you away, to a new place. A place where you can be strong, be beautiful, and forget your troubles. Come to the digital world, Varia."  
  
Blade blinked. The woman was gone. She looked down and saw the piece of paper in her hand. There was an address and a date on it. The woman's words echoed in her mind.  
  
The digital world...  
  
~*~  
  
Thunder.  
  
Thunder and rain poured into the alley. Varia... well, Blade, cowered in the only that crate didn't leak and drew her knees up to her chin. She listened to the water pound the roof and the flood of rain that threatened to flow in. Every time it rained, the alley flooded and what little possessions she had would get wet and need to be aired out the next day. She sat there, listening to the rain and clutching the piece ofpaper in her hand.  
  
A new life... a new beginning... a new world.  
  
It all seemed too strange and too good to be true. But then again, she's seen her share of strange things. Her mind drifted back in time, to a cold night, when children were locked up together on the top of a tower. Everyone else was scared, she remembered, but she wasn't. In fact, she had liked it there. It was tall, and pleasantly warm, and overlooked the city below like a castle. Not that she could see much at the time, with the whole city surrounded in fog, but that simply added charm and mystery to the whole situation. She had felt like a princess, sitting above her kingdom, waiting for her prince.  
  
And he had come, hadn't he? To this day, she had trouble convincing herself that it wasn't all a dream. After all, the other kids had slept, right? So how could she know that she wasn't sleeping, too, and dreamed the whole thing? The man with pale skin, blue uniform, and majestically cape. His eyes had been so hard and deep and there was such an aura of power and sophistication about him that made him seem like a dark prince, or an emperor.  
  
She closed her eyes and remembered, disregarding her damp close and wet shoes. The day after the... dream... she had been brought before him, along with a line of other kids, to be inspected for something. There were other creatures around, the digimon, but in particular was a small white cat that looked nervous and scared and spoke with a girlish voice. Blade was brought before the dark prince. She didn't raise her head, so if he had looked at her at all, she wouldn't have noticed. The white cat had sighed and said, "It's not her." She was then taken away and released.  
  
She didn't see him again until many hours after the inspection, when the battle in Odeiba began. She had watched the dark prince transform himself into a hideous monster and battle a group of children. At the time she hadn't understood the purpose of the fighting, or who the children were, but now, now she knew. He truly was evil, and nothing was going to change that. That night was labeled as a dream ever since and forgotten about.  
  
But now...  
  
There was something about that woman that reminded her of him. She couldn't quite put her finger on it. Go ahead, some little part of her whispered, do it, it could be a chance to know this mysterious world, HIS world.  
  
The rain was finally letting up when she looked held the paper up to her face a read it. She knew the address well and the date was four days from today. So... what now?  
  
I've got nothing to lose, she thought.  
  
~*~  
  
Yukio Oikawa stood by the van that was to be the transport of the chosen children. It was parked in a secluded and little-used area to avoid drawing attention. Mummymon and Arukenimon were near, keeping their post and an eye out for arrivals. Well, Arukenimon was, Mummymon was simply looking at her. Fool, Oikawa thought.  
  
The first of the children arrived. They were relatively young, ranging about seven to nine years old. The two digimon greeted them with warm smiles and ushered them into the vehicle. Several more children arrived soon after. A few of these were older.  
  
I hope this is the right thing to do, Oikawa thought. And, like usual, he heard a voice inside of him answer back.  
  
Of course it is, it said, or do you doubt me?  
  
Oikawa shook his head mentally. He had to trust the voice. It was his only chance of going to the digital world. Silently, he watched his henchmen load the children onto the van. Finally, no more kids arrived.  
  
"Is that all?" he asked.  
  
"It appears so, sir," Arukenimon answered. She began to climb into the van, followed by Mummymon. Oddly, Oikawa felt a twinge in him. No, it wasn't him. It was the creature inside. It was... disappointed.  
  
That's not my problem, he thought. We have enough children to draw energy from. The dark spore provided by that Ichijouji kids will work well once planted in these clueless little tykes. He signaled Mummymon to start up the van and began to climb in himself.  
  
~*~  
  
Blade stood behind the shop corner, watching the pale man by the van across the street. The woman was with him, as was another man in blue. They didn't seem to be doing anything, but she knew better. They were waiting for her, and maybe some others. So she waited, too, watching for them to make a move.  
  
A sound. Blade drew back into the shadows. A boy about seven years old appeared into the silent alley, followed by two more boys about the same age, and three girls maybe a year or two older. She knew these kids were not passer-bys. No one passed by this area—it's a dead end. The children passed the corner, not noticing her, and headed for the group around the van. There, they were greeted, and ushered into the vehicle. She could see that they were excited to be here. Just like she was.  
  
The one she was watching mostly closely, however, was the pale man who seemed to be the leader of the whole ordeal. He was a very pale man, with shoulder-length dark hair and devilish eye. His trench coat hid any small movements, but Blade found him to be very familiar. The way he moved, walked, especially the intimate, cold way he studied the children who came to him.  
  
The children kept coming, some young, and some as old as she, and they were ushered into the van one by one. Finally, no children came for a few minutes. The man gestured at his assistants and began to climb into the van.  
  
In a split second, she made up her mind. Quickly, she stepped out of the shadows and ran toward the van, waving.  
  
"Wait!" she called. The man, half in and half out of the van, stopped and turned to look at her. For a moment, she almost stopped in her tracks. His eyes were dark and extremely deep, as if there were two layers, one on the outside, and one inside staring into her soul. He smiled.  
  
"Good of you to join us," he said. Then, stepping out of the van, he grabbed her arm and pulled her gently into the dark interior. The door closed behind them.  
  
~*~  
  
The van drove through the city. Since there were no windows, she could only assume that's where they were by the sound of cars outside. They were going somewhere, presumably somewhere wonderful. She was oddly excited and a little afraid at the same time. The pale man and his henchwoman were standing near the door, as if waiting for an opportunity. The man cast a glance her way every now and then that made her a little uneasy. But she had to admit she was watching him also. The van rocked slightly as it went, and none of the children talked. They simply sat, looking straightforward and not at each other. Blade found it odd, but the silence and rocking were rather peaceful. She curled up against the cold wall and slept.  
  
The hard crash of the doors been thrown open awakened her. Experienced from living among the dangers of the alley, Blade burst awake and rose to a kneeling position, only to find the other children still sitting and look toward the door, unalarmed and unmoving. The pale man was standing to the side while his henchwoman was just outside the door. The van had stopped moving. Suddenly, a body came flying into the van. The doors closed once again and the vehicle was on the move, much faster this time.  
  
The other children rose to their feet as if in a trance and surrounded the newcomer. Blade stood in her place and watched the man tie the body—a dark- haired boy thirteen years old at the most—with ropes, bending the arms uncomfortably around the back. The boy, who looked a little dazed, didn't struggle at first. When the pale man finished tying him, he looked up and glared around angrily.  
  
"You said you were letting these kids go," the boy snapped. "You have me, now release them!"  
  
The pale man simply smiled. "Oh but they don't want to go," he said smoothly. "They're here of their own free will, you see. When I told them they were going to meet Ken Ichijouji, they were all so excited."  
  
The van took a violent turn and Blade felt her body thrown against the sidewall. Strangely, none of the other kids seemed to feel it. They all stood there, surrounding the new boy (Ken, is it? she wasn't sure, and didn't care), watching him, looking right at him and through him at the same time, as if he was translucent.  
  
Some words were exchanged, it and didn't take much to see that the boy was held against his will. Blade wanted to help him, but soon realized that she didn't know what to do, or even what's going on.  
  
"I wanted to be just like you, Ken," she heard a young boy say. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that they were gaining on him, and the pale man had extended one large hand and grabbed the restrained boy on the shoulder, holding him firmly in place. The van took another hard shake and she put her hands on the metal walls to steady herself. Once again, the others in the vehicle showed no sign that they were even aware of the turbulence. Several horns honked loudly outside as she felt the van swerve. The pale man lost his footing for a split second but quickly regained it. He was holding an object in his hand, one that resembled a bar-code reader used in supermarkets. She watched him bring it down on the boy, who was clenching his teeth as if in pain. The other children watched silently. The van shook again, this time throwing her across the hard floor. She hit her shoulder hard. None of the other kids even uttered a sound.  
  
What's wrong with you?! She wanted to shout. Can't you see we're going to die?!  
  
But she said nothing. The pale man had left the boy, who collapsed onto the floor, as if all the energy had been sucked out of him. He laid there limp with his eyes half open, gazing blankly at the children. Something about his stare made Blade uneasy.  
  
The pale man was moving to the children now, stilling holding the bar-code reader. The kids went to him one by one, willingly, and stood still as he pointed the reader at their necks. The dark-haired boy on the floor made an attempt to move, failed, and stayed in his place, his eyes scanning the dark interior, as if searching for hope. For a moment his gaze locked onto Blade, and she saw his lips move weakly.  
  
"Please..." he said softly. "Please... no... you don't want to be like me..."  
  
Before she could take the words in, a hand landed on her should. She turned and saw the woman in red gripping her tightly. The pale man had finished the last of the children and was moving toward her. Her whole body tensed.  
  
"I don't see why you wanted her," the woman said. "She's too old to us much good."  
  
She tried to wrench free, but the woman's grip was like a steel clamp, digging into her flesh.  
  
The pale man gazed at his henchwoman. "Are you questioning my decisions?" he asked sternly.  
  
The woman shrunk back a little. "No, sir," she said, loosening her grip a little. The pale man stepped close to Blade, the instrument at his side.  
  
"Get that away from me," Blade said, meaning to it to be firm, but it came out as a whisper. "I won't know who you people are or what you're doing with that kid, but I do know I don't want that thing near me."  
  
To her surprise, the man said nothing. He simply gazed at her intensely. Then, waving the woman off, he grabbed Blade's hand and jerked her to her feet. She was eye to eye with him for a long time.  
  
"So you don't recognize me," he said. There was a subtle change in his tone. "That's just as well. I didn't expect you to."  
  
Her eyes and mind wondered wildly. The henchwoman was standing in the corner, looking a little confused but keeping her mouth shut. The boy on the floor seemed to have passed out. His hair was hanging over his face and closed eyes. She wondered if he was even alive anymore. The other children were talking amongst themselves with excited voices. They weren't paying any attention to her. She looked back at the man.  
  
"Do I know you?" she asked, feeling a little stupid.  
  
He didn't answer. Instead, he let go of her hand and brushed a brand of black hair from her face. "You've grown up," he said. "Even more stunning than you were back then." Names and images ran through her head as he continued to stare at her. "When you do remember," he said, lowering his voice to a whisper heard only by her, "be a good girl and keep your mouth shut."  
  
The next thing she knew, city lights were gushing into the van. She felt as if she was flying as the hard concrete rushed at her. She brought her arms up and protected her face just in time. She rolled several times and before she could even bring her head up all the way, an enormous truck honked loudly and drove by her inches away. She screamed, stumbled away from the street, and fell onto the sidewalk.  
  
The van sped off, swerving furiously amidst the traffic, into the distance. Blinking, she could see the henchwoman re-latching the door. Someone, most likely the pale man, had thrown her out of the van right into the streets. Her pant knee was torn and the skin underneath of scraped, and she didn't have to check to know her elbows were bruised and turning purple.  
  
She sat on the sidewalk for a minute, then stood, brushing herself off, and began to walk. There was no particular destination, as usual, but at this point that hardly mattered. The pale man's words lingered on her mind, and the way he stared at her so intensely. It was familiar, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. And why did he care whether or not she told anyone who he was? Didn't he think he'd get caught real soon, going around kidnapping children like that?  
  
And what was he doing to those kids? And that boy... Ken?  
  
Too many questions, too few answers. Blade sighed and wrapped her jacket around her as the night wind chilled her.  
  
~*~  
  
Yukio Oikawa sat in his lodge in the forest, tapping away furiously on his laptop computer. The dark spores have been planted. And now, the serious work begins. He must be ready when the dark flowers bloom.  
  
The one within had said nothing since the encounter with that scrawny girl in the van. To Oikawa, the girl looked awfully shabby. Her hair was matted, thin and black as raven feathers. Her cloth were old and looked like they were good-will box rejects. Her eyes were as black as her hair and she was pale as if she spent all her time hiding from the sun. With a little touch up and a two-hour shower, she might be quite pretty, but that was not his concerns. He had a gate to open.  
  
Several times he tried to get a hold of the voice inside him, but came back empty-handed. On the van, its presence had been so strong that it took over his actions completely. Now, nothing.  
  
He took a look around the room. Arukenimon was sleeping on the couch, and Mummymon on the floor. Not a sound rang out in the lodge, save for the cackling fire in the fireplace. Oikawa stretched and went back to work. There was much to be done, and his dream was getting nearer by the day.  
  
~*~  
  
The truth was a hard thing to accept.  
  
The possibility pounded her mind over and over. Deep down in her somewhere she knew it was the truth. But still...  
  
The day was cold; her heard felt colder. Ever since that day, the pale man haunted her dreams. As she strolled in the downtown of Odeiba, his face surfaced again. That stern posture, that familiar voice, and those deep eyes. Is he...  
  
NO.  
  
She could make herself think it, but she couldn't make herself accept it. He died. He couldn't be back, and furthermore, he couldn't be human.  
  
Or could he?  
  
She was unfamiliar with the concept of digimon, except for the monster attacks many years ago and of course her encounter with her dark prince. But the latter had been a dream. Still, she didn't know a thing about these digimon creature, so who's to say that it's not possible for him to come back and use the body of a human?  
  
And if he is, she thought, I don't want to loose him again. I need to see him, if nothing at least to confirm that it wasn't a dream.  
  
She was so wrapped up in thought that she almost didn't notice the commotion above her. Raising her head, she saw that she was under the Odeiba Bridge. A group of children were standing there, surrounding three taller figures, one of which she recognized by the red dress. Three boys, about her age, was standing opposite of them, accompanied by several odd- looking creatures. A word flashed by her mind.  
  
Digimon.  
  
Picking up her step, Blade ran toward the end of the bridge and climbed. When she reached the top, she was just in time to see the pale man, holding a laptop computer and announcing something exciting to the children. A beam of light appeared between her and them, then expanded until it was a bright screen radiance. The pale man was still talking, and she caught two words—"digital world."  
  
The kids were heading toward it, following the pale man and his henchmen. The three older boys were yelling something but she didn't hear nor cared. She ran toward the light as it began to shrink and diminish, and slipped into it just before it disappeared. 


	3. Part 3

Part 3  
  
A Picasso painting.  
  
That was the first thought that popped into her mind when she entered the strange dimension. Oddly, she found that she was not frightened. Instead, while she heard the other children cry and shriek in fright, none of it scared her. There was something comforting about it, as if it was... home  
  
Strange. It felt like home. Not her old home, but a new home. Varia felt like she belonged here, and as if she had lived here all along.  
  
Varia... she felt good calling herself Varia again.  
  
Why? She did not know. Something about this place made her feel warm all over. There was a commotion not far away from her. The pale man was saying something with a panicked voice and the children were crying. She found that she didn't care.  
  
A wave of heated voices interrupted her thoughts. Anther group of children entered the strange suspended space. They were each accompanied by a small digital creature. One of the kids was the dark haired boy from the van. Varia was vaguely glad that he was alive, but she was watching the pale man, who now had a nervous, scared look to him, turned to face the new group.  
  
"This... this is wrong..." she heard him say. "This isn't the digital world... where are we? What happened?"  
  
"It's over, Oikawa," the dark-haired boy said. "You're not in the digital world and you never will be."  
  
"Yeah!" a brown-haired girl cried. She looked a little familiar. "Now open the gate and let these children go home."  
  
The pale man didn't say anything. Instead, he fell to his knees and clutched his head with his hands. He was still for a very long time. Just when Varia thought he was going to fall over, he raised his head and screamed as if in great pain. A crimson energy glowed from his body and he was silenced as it expanded, spreading like wild fire. Then he was calm again. The children were silent as he rose slowly to his feet and lifted his gaze to the children with digimon. His eyes had changed, whatever was inside of him had come out and taken control. When he spoke, it was another voice that flowed from his mouth.  
  
"You kids think you have won," the voice was deep, smooth, and emotionless. "But you're a long way from home."  
  
"No! It can't be!" a voice shouted. Varia turned and saw the white cat from four years ago accompanying the girl with brown hair. "I still hear that voice in my nightmares!"  
  
The word welled to her own throat and she uttered it the same instant the small digimon did.  
  
"Myotismon!"  
  
The pale man laughed, a thunderous sound that shook the whole Picasso world. The younger children began to cry and the kids accompanied by digimon were noticeably shaken. The henchmen, who had been silent until this moment, stepped forward and began to change before Varia's eyes. The woman seemed to expand and grow several extra limps and the man in blue morphed out of his cloth and became a mummy-like creature. Screams of fear rose from all sides.  
  
The children drew back and each pulled out a small device. A ray of light showered their digimon and they also began to change and grow. Soon, an army of creatures faced each other ready to battle.  
  
Why am I not afraid?  
  
Varia found herself more fascinated than scared by all this. She sat down and began to watch the battle between the henchmen and the other digimon. It felt like a movie to her.  
  
So what do you think?  
  
A voice in her head made her jerk. Was that her own voice? No, it was another. She looked around, searching for the speaker, and found none. Every one was watching the battle intensely. Not a single person was paying attention to her. She turned her attention back to the fight and saw that, though largely outnumbered, the henchmen were winning.  
  
They're powerful, no?  
  
That voice again. Varia shuddered. Partly because she was afraid to admit who it really was that was speaking to her, and partly because she was excited. Very excited.  
  
Are you who I think you are? She asked the inner voice, unsure whether it would hear her or not.  
  
It's been long, Varia, the voice said softly. Varia felt her whole body tense with excitement. I need a favor from you, the voice continued.  
  
What do you want?  
  
A mental finger turned her head gently toward the pale man. She immediately saw that he was twitching as if in a seizure. A moment later, he was on the ground again, clutching his head and screaming like a madman.  
  
"Get out of my head!" he cried. "Get out of my head!" The children with digimon cast a curious look at him, but quickly turned back to the battle.  
  
An invisible hand crept its way onto her neck, messaging her softly, soothing her. Varia moaned with pleasure at its touch. The voice spoke to her gently.  
  
I need you, darling, it said sweetly. He is weak, but you, you're something special. You want something new, don't you? You want to be something great.  
  
"Yes..." she whispered. "Yes..."  
  
An explosion on the battlefield. The two henchmen were flung into the air then fell hard onto the ground. They were losing and the other digimon were gaining.  
  
Do you want to be great, Varia? The voice said. Do you want to be powerful?  
  
Her throat felt dry so she simply closed her eyes and nodded. The henchmen were been pushed back some more, and were losing energy, from the looks of it.  
  
You're strong, Varia. The invisible hand was on her cheek now. Or should I say... Blade?  
  
"I'll do it," Varia said aloud. "I'll do anything."  
  
Go to him. The voice commanded. Go.  
  
The henchmen fell and could rise no more. They sprawled on the ground and changed back to their human forms to conserve energy. The children cheered in triumph and began to advance toward the pale man.  
  
Varia walked as if in a daze toward him.  
  
Hurry, the voice urged. Hurry and we'll be together soon. She broke into a run toward the man on the ground.  
  
"Hey, what's she doing?" one of the kids yelled, spotting her. They quickened their step.  
  
The pale man suddenly stood and faced her. In his eyes, she saw her dark prince. The children were only a few yards away when the man grabbed her and pressed his lips to hers, kissing her with such force that it felt like he was drinking her in.  
  
The kids stopped dead in their tracks upon the strange sight. Varia didn't care. She was enjoying every second of it. It was like a fever dream. As the pale man's tongue played in her mouth, she felt the presence of the dark prince.  
  
All at once heat filled her body. A burst of energy gushed out of his mouth and into hers. She didn't have to break to kiss to know what it was. A new force took over her and she felt her limbs moving on their own will. Her arms flew up and grabbed the pale man's head and pressed him close as her lips began to suck every ounce of energy in him.  
  
Once enough energy was drained so that the man was of his own control again, he began to struggle, but Varia felt her grip tighten against her will. The being inside her was holding the man in place and inhaling every bit of life in him.  
  
Stop! She shouted mentally. You're killing him! Stop!  
  
But she got no answered back. Instead, she felt the cold, powerful hunger of the being inside her. The man was weakening and she felt herself turning hot with his energy.  
  
Finally, her hands let go and the man fell like a sack of potatoes onto the ground. If he was pale before, now his face was white as paste. His eyes bulged out, unblinking like a fish. His hands were gripped so tightly a second ago that she saw nail marks on his palms. His head hung to one side, staring at nothing in particular. Varia felt like he was looking right through her.  
  
There was no doubt in her mind that he was dead.  
  
~*~  
  
The digidestined watch the girl with long black hair, about sixteen years old, been kissed by Oikawa. Then, strangely, as he was trying to break away, the girl held him in place, not letting him go. It soon became apparent that it was no ordinary kiss. A red glow was starting to emit from the girl.  
  
Then, suddenly, she dropped him. He fell dead at her feet. She straightened herself and cast a hateful gaze at them. Her body was glowing crimson as Arukenimon and Mummymon moved to her side, standing by her like bodyguards.  
  
"You're too late," the voice out of her mouth belonged to Myotismon. "I have a new host now, and this one is much more powerful than the last. Enjoy your victory, digidestined. Until we meet again."  
  
A new gate of light opened and the girl stepped through without a second look back. The two digimon followed.  
  
The digidestined stood in place, looking at each other, then at the crying children in the corner. The pathetic body of Oikawa laid in a heap on the ground.  
  
The gate closed, separating the digidestined and Myotismon's new host.  
  
~*~  
  
The first thing she was aware of when she regained consciousness was the soft material under her. She was no longer outside, or in the strange dimension. this was earth, she was sure of it. Her neck felt stiff as she turned to examine her surroundings. She was inside what appeared to be a log cabin, lying on a red couch. There were little else in the room save for a coffee table and a fireplace. The walls weren't decorated and no rugs were on the wood floor. The place contained the bare essentials and nothing else. There were several closed doors around her, presumably leading to lavatories and bedrooms and such. Large windows were on the wall across from her, peering into a snow-covered forest. Judging from the sunlight, dawn was near.  
  
Slowly, carefully, as memories crawled their way back to her, she sat up and rubbed her neck. There was a heavy blanket on top of her, which she removed. Surprisingly, she was not cold, although according to the frost on the windows, the temperature was just above freezing. Swinging her left over the side of the couch, she saw that she was sparsely dressed, wearing only a blue silk tank top and black shorts, and she was sweating. Confused, she stood up and walked toward the window on her bare feet, her long hair trailing after her. The cold floor felt rather good against her skin.  
  
There was a thick layer of ice covering half of the glass of the large window. She leaned on the windowsill and looked outside. There were tall pines as far as the eye could see, covered with pure white snow, glistening in the morning light. From behind the trees, the sun was rising majestically. It was a beautiful sight.  
  
Pressing in for a closer look, she laid one hand on the cold window. Instantly, tendrils of steam rose from beneath her fingertips and the ice began to not melt but evaporate. A surprised sound escaped her lips as she pulled herself away from the window. Her hand was pulsing with heat and the thick ice on the window was gone almost entirely, leaving only a few water drops on the edge.  
  
A little afraid, but brimming with curiosity, she stepped forward and pressed her entire palm onto the window. This time, the window shook a little, then began to crack, first merely a hairline fracture along the center of her hand, soon a spider web of lines appeared and deepened. The ice on the windowpanes of near by began to melt around the edges as crispy cracking sounds of breaking glass filled the air.  
  
That's not a wise thing to do.  
  
She jerked her hand back upon hearing the voice. The window in front of her had thousands of cracks on it and barely stood in its place.  
  
Good, the voice said softly. We have no replacements for that window. You may test your strength elsewhere if you wish.  
  
"It's you, isn't it?" she whispered. No need to be loud, she knew he heard.  
  
Who else would it be?  
  
"What happened? What do you want from me?" Soft whispers, but no fear.  
  
I want to give you a chance to be strong, to be powerful.  
  
The invisible hand was felt again. Unseen fingers ran themselves through her hair gently. She felt both excited and at peace at the same time.  
  
Look in the mirror, the voice directed.  
  
She began to push the doors along the wall. The first was a storage room, the second turned out to be the lavatory. It was small but quite clean. A plain, square mirror hung over the sink. She looked into it.  
  
For a moment she nearly didn't recognize herself. The girl in the mirror was similar to her, but also quite different. Her hair, once coarse, thin, and slack, was full and shiny, hanging like a black waterfall down her shoulders. The skin on her face and arms were covered with frostbites and stilling peeling from summer sunburns just yesterday had become smooth and soft. There was a bright spark in her eyes that even she herself had not seen for years. Although she had a nice figure before, now her body was lean and strong, and filled out the silk top quite nicely.  
  
Like what you see? The voice asked and she could feel the invisible hands stroking her back and legs.  
  
"How?" she asked, still staring at her reflection.  
  
I am sharing my energy with you, the voice said. You will make a strong partner.  
  
That word made her shudder.  
  
"That man... " she said hesitantly. "Did you kill him?" There was a pause.  
  
Sadly, yes, the voice said. She wasn't sure whether she detected regret or not.  
  
"Was he your partner before?" She knew she dreaded the answer.  
  
The invisible hands faded. Yes, the voice said after another pause.  
  
"Then how do I know you won't do the same to me?" Anger welled up in her. "How do I know you won't use me and then kill me once you find another host?"  
  
The voice didn't answer. Instead, an odd, pleasant feeling came over her and she felt her anger fade. It was as if the being inside was soothing her from within, messaging her heart with a warm touch.  
  
Don't you trust me? It asked. Don't you remember that night in the TV station?  
  
"I remember," she whispered. "I do remember."  
  
She felt strong arms wrapping themselves around her. She leaned back, drowning in the pleasure and warmth.  
  
You're different, Varia, the voice said. You're strong, much stronger than he. We'll be great together, you and me.  
  
He was inside her, vibrating with energy that seemed to pour out of her every pour. Varia closed her eyes and lost herself in it.  
  
For a moment, she saw him in the dark world beneath her eyelids. She saw him standing in front of her, tall and handsome as the day they met. He smiled at her as she gazed into his deep blue eyes. As he leaned toward her she could feel his hot breath on her neck, heating up every inch of her skin.  
  
His lips touched her neck and she shuddered at the cold hardness of his fangs. His hand went around her waist, calming her, telling her not to be afraid. She felt them sink into her flesh, but not deep, just a little, and it felt good. He kissed her on the cheek gently.  
  
"Say it," he whispered.  
  
It felt like a fever dream, or been hypnotized. Her mouth felt dry and breathless but very, very good as she uttered the words she had so longed to say.  
  
"I love you, Lord Myotismon."  
  
He smiled.  
  
~*~  
  
The digidestined, old and new, stood in a circle around Oikawa's grave.  
  
They had buried him in the digital world, in the beautiful forest of Server. At least in the next life, he'll be in the place of his dreams. Not one of them said a single word as Tai and Davis planted the gravestone in place.  
  
Gatomon stepped forward and laid a bouquet of wild flowers before the stone. "He was a good man who took a bad turn," she said grimly. The others nodded sadly.  
  
Kari gazed up at the sky, which was gray and gloomy. "I can't believe Myotismon's back," she said. "What are we going to do now?"  
  
"We have to fight him," Ken said. There was a hard look in his eyes. "What choice do we have? We have to defeat him."  
  
"How?" Tai said, still kneeling by the grave. "You saw how easily he transferred from one human to the next. If we hurt him, he'll merely take on another body and draining the old one in the process."  
  
"I wonder..." Izzy said thoughtfully, holding his chin the way he always did when he was thinking. The others turned to him. "I wonder if that girl knew what she was doing," he said. "She looked dazed and hypnotized. And if I'm not mistaken, she seemed shocked for a moment when she saw that Oikawa had died. Maybe if we can find her and talk to her, she'll help us."  
  
"But Myotismon's inside of her," T.K. said. "Whatever we say to her he will hear, and if she cooperates, he might hurt her."  
  
"You've got a point," Izzy replied. "But that doesn't mean we can't keep an eye on her. Let's go back to Odieba and search for her. Once we find her, we'll keep watch and make sure that first, she doesn't hurt herself, and second, she doesn't hurt anyone else."  
  
~*~  
  
Varia sat before the window in the lodge, looking outside at the scenery, and staying away from the glass this time. It was cold as a meat-locker in the cabin, but she felt just fine. Her body was brimming with energy and she felt strong and warm despite the weather.  
  
"How long are you going to be with me?" she asked Myotismon.  
  
Just a while, the voice in her said. Just until we track down the children and absorb the energy from their dark flowers.  
  
"And then what?"  
  
And then I will have enough energy to build a new body.  
  
She smiled at the thought of seeing him again. "I can't wait," she said.  
  
A click from behind made her turn. The woman dressed in red stood there at a formal parade rest, accompanied by the man in the blue suit and top hat. The woman bowed. "Will you be needing our service, master?" she asked.  
  
Varia wasn't sure what to do. Her first instinct was to back away, but Myotismon's voice came again.  
  
They are your servants now, he told her. Their names are Arukenimon and Mummymon, you may use them as you see fit.  
  
"Um..." she hesitated. "Can you get me some water?"  
  
The woman left and returned a minute later with a glass of cold water. Varia drank gratefully, suddenly realizing how parched she was.  
  
"Thank you," she said.  
  
"Will that be all?" The woman asked.  
  
"Yes. Uh, you can go now." As the two henchmen nodded and backed outside the door, she turned to the window again.  
  
Sing a song, darling, the dark prince whispered softly to her. It had been so long since I've heard your voice.  
  
Varia drew a deep breath and let it out.  
  
"Rain fell down  
  
you were there  
  
I cried for you when I  
  
Hung my head  
  
Storm a-rushing in  
  
Wind was howling  
  
I called for you, you were there  
  
Whenever dark turns to night  
  
And all the dreams sing their song  
  
And in the starlight forever  
  
To you I belong..."  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Ok, a little confession here. I honestly DID NOT plan this story past chapter one. I meant for it to end there, then when I realized that it doesn't, I ad-libbed another chapter, then another, and now I'm not sure where this leads to. Two of the major possibilities are: he loves her and gives up everything else, or he kills her, either by accident or on purpose, because after all, he's supposed to be a monster. So... I have no idea how long this will be or how it will turn out. Bear with me please :)  
  
DR 


	4. Part 4

Part 4  
  
Varia stood in front of the log cabin, facing the woods, her feet spread slightly to maintain balance. On her body she still wore the blue silk tank top, but traded the shorts for a pair of deep blue slack. She was still barefoot and the circle of snow around her feet had melted, leaving a dry space for her to stand. Arukenimon and Mummymon stood behind her on either side, watching without a sound.  
  
She closed her eyes and concentrated, letting the voice of her prince guide her.  
  
Now, the voice said to her, let's test your strength.  
  
Varia breathed deeply, inhaling the cold air. The muscles on her arms began to tense as she brought her clenched fists up just above waist level. They felt hot and strong.  
  
We are one, the voice inside told her serenely, we share the power built in us and grow strong together.  
  
She let the breath out.  
  
You are no longer weak, her prince said, soon all those who have wronged you will be crawling at your feet.  
  
A smiled twitched on the edge of her lip.  
  
Search for a target, the voice instructed calmly.  
  
She opened her eyes and scanned the nearby surroundings. Her gaze landed on a tall pine, at least four feet in diameter, and towered above the cabin like a giant. Her hands were vibrating now, ready to strike.  
  
The words came to her as she held a battle pose.  
  
"Crimson Lightning!" she cried. For a moment her right fist looked as if it was on fire. So much light poured from it that the two henchmen moved to shield their eyes. A bolt of energy, blood red in color, shot out from her hand and headed for the tree. In a blink of an eye, there was nothing left of the pine save for drifting ashes landing on the white snow.  
  
The girl stood in her place for a moment, a little shocked at seeing what she had done.  
  
"Wow," she breathed.  
  
Excellent, her prince purred, excellent.  
  
~*~  
  
"So who exactly is this girl?" Tai asked thoughtfully. His sister shook her head.  
  
"I don't know," she answered. "None of us have ever seen her before, we don't know where's from, and no one knows if she has any relations to Myotismon."  
  
"I think he must have manipulated her into it," Tai said angrily. "I'll bet she was just there and he went for her on a whim because he was losing."  
  
"Not necessarily. Remember what he said to us? He said the new host he found was stronger, so maybe she was willing."  
  
Tai sighed in exasperation. "Well if she is," he said. "Then we've got even more trouble on our hands."  
  
"Good thing she's still human," Kari said. "At least she can't out and out attack us, right?"  
  
"But that's not going to help too much," Tai said. "For all we know, she's not even in the city. She could live in whole another region and we have no way of finding her."  
  
Gatomon, who was sitting to the side and had been silent during the discussion, suddenly stood up.  
  
"I KNEW I've seen her somewhere!" she shouted.  
  
Tai and Kari stared at her blankly.  
  
"Four years ago at the TV tower," Gatomon cried heatedly. "We were looking for the eighth child and I was forced to judge each captured child one by one. She was there! And when the brought her to me, Myotismon kept looking at her strangely. I thought it my imagination, but he WAS looking at her! There IS something between them!"  
  
There was silence for a while, then Tai spoke up. "That means she lives in Odeiba," he said, suddenly excited. "All the children captured that time were from Odeiba, so we can simply split up and comb the town!"  
  
Kari was already heading for the phone to place calls to the other digidestined.  
  
~*~  
  
Varia laid flat on her back in the bedroom of the log cabin. The bed beneath her was hard and cold, but she didn't care. Her eyes were shut and in a minute, she saw him again. They were together in a dark, timeless world, where everything felt just right.  
  
"I don't know about this," she said to him. He looked at her, a little puzzled.  
  
"I thought you trusted me," he said.  
  
"I do, it's just that..." she trailed off.  
  
"What?" he was closing in on her some how, so close that she could feel the heat of his body.  
  
"Are people going to get hurt?"  
  
"They don't have to." She wanted to believe him.  
  
"But those children... you said we're going to absorb their energy, won't that kill them?" From the way he was looking at her, she could tell he knew she was thinking about the pale man.  
  
A strong hand reached out and lifted her chin upward so she was facing him. She felt hypnotized by his gaze. "What has this world offered you so far, Varia?" he asked softly.  
  
"I..." she found no words.  
  
"Exactly. This world has offered you nothing, and you know in your heart that it probably never will, isn't that right?"  
  
"...yes."  
  
"This world needs to be changed, Varia, but no good comes without a little sacrifice. Do you understand me?"  
  
"I do."  
  
"Very good." He bent down a little and kissed her forehead. "We make a great team, my darling."  
  
In the dark, peaceful world, she gripped his large hand in both of hers, and touched it gingerly with her fingers, feeling the realness of it, the closeness. Then she kissed each fingertip lovingly. He was smiling as she did so.  
  
"A better world..." she whispered. "That's the goal, isn't it?"  
  
"Of course," his voice was so comforting, so inviting. "You and me, we'll make both worlds, the digital and the real one, a better place, and rule them together."  
  
She cradled his hand, pressing it against her face. "My life for you," she said dreamily. "My life for you."  
  
~*~  
  
The street corner was cold and dark, but it suited her just fine. Light was bothering her eyes, and her body was radiating so much heat that the cold felt good on her. She stood out of sight, between two old buildings in a shady alley. The instructions had been simple and the excitement was great.  
  
Across the street, a school bell rang. Odeiba Elementary School was letting out. A flood of children came out onto the streets, running and laughing. She quickly scanned them and found her target—eight-year-old Ricky Kondo.  
  
For a young child, the boy seemed particularly alert, maybe even a little on-edge. He was walking alone, separate from all the other children, and casting his cool gaze on the sidewalk, not making eye contact with anyone. She already knew that the dark spore caused this behavior. As she watched, the boy strayed from the crowd and headed across the road, toward her.  
  
She stepped back as he passed the alley, not giving her a second look. When he was no more than a few yards away, she walked out into the light and stood behind him, holding a nonchalant posture as she had been instructed to do.  
  
"Those insects bugging you?" she asked. The boy stopped and turned to look at her suspiciously, not saying anything. "A constant annoyance, aren't they?"  
  
Ricky faced her but made no movement to approach her. She looked at him with a blank expression, studying every inch of him, and shifted her gaze to his eyes slowly, with the precision of threading a needle.  
  
His mouth opened a little then closed as her hypnosis began to work its way into him. The backpack he had in his hand fell to the ground with a dull "thunk". She walked up to him and held her own hand up, bringing it above his head in a slow, silky movement. His eyes followed it, bobbing up and down numbly.  
  
The power was in him. She could feel it. Casting a quick look around and seeing no witnesses, she bore her hypnotic powers down on him harder, searching for the dark seed and found it. The air around the boy began to glow as a little lump formed on his head, then breaking and turning into a sprout. Within a minute, an odd-looking flower blooming on Ricky's head. He was totally oblivious to it, still staring upward, at her hand.  
  
She brought her fingers down and touched the flower and groaned with pleasure as its energy charged its way into her like electricity. Her hand tightened around the plant and squeezed. Its color began to fade as Varia absorbed it hungrily.  
  
She could feel the expanding power of her prince from within.  
  
~*~  
  
When the idea hit Ken, he was getting off the bus in Odeiba to meet up with his friends. The image crashed into his mind like a fist.  
  
The girl with black hair, dressed in shabby cloth, cowering the corner of Oikawa's escape van, staring at him with shock and understanding. She was different. While the other children gazed at him in a cold trance, she was searching for a way out, trying to know what was going on. Either Oikawa had not put her under a spell, or she found a way to break it herself after if was placed. Doesn't matter, she was different.  
  
Ken raced down the street, away from the bus stop and toward Odeiba Intermediate School. Yolei and Kari appeared just as the school building came into sight, followed by Davis and Cody, with T.K. bringing up the rear. They began to wave, but stopped when they saw the excited look on his face.  
  
"Ken! Where's the fire?" Davis shouted with his usual goofy grin.  
  
"I know where we can find her," Ken said breathlessly as he approached them.  
  
"Find who?" Cody asked, the same time T.K. said, "Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes, come on, I'll explain on the way."  
  
~*~  
  
Of the four children she approached, only one showed any sign of resistance. An older girl name Yuri tried to make a run for it when Varia came to her, apparently out of surprise. But she was caught and placed under hypnosis easily before getting further than a block.  
  
Varia was exhilarated. She had never felt more excited or strong in her whole life. As the energy of the children flowed into her, she could feel herself growing along with her love. Heat radiated from her and she had to concentrate hard to keep it from lighting up the trees around her. Her steps became light and swift, and the whole world seemed to swim smoothly around her, for her.  
  
I've found my calling, she thought.  
  
The last target of the day showed up half an hour after the first four, walking in a narrow alley by herself, away from the crowd like the others, which made things all the easier for Varia. It was a ten-year-old girl named Noriko. With one look, Varia knew this wouldn't be hard. There was something hard and impregnable in the girl's eyes, a look that said she believe the world was out to get her and she ready.  
  
Varia flexed her hands slowly, and felt the power gathering in the palms. Steadily, silently, she followed the target like a beast in prey.  
  
~*~  
  
"So you HAVE seen that girl before," Yolei said as the group rushed toward Odeiba Elementary.  
  
"Yes, in Oikawa's van," Ken answered. "She wasn't zoned out like the others, and she refused to take the dark spore."  
  
"And he didn't force her?" Kari asked from behind.  
  
"That's the weird thing. He didn't. I saw them standing in front of each other briefly and he wasn't doing anything to force her."  
  
"So he had plans for her all along," Cody commented.  
  
"Wait, why are we going to Odeiba Elementary again?" Davis said, panting.  
  
"Because I know he has plans for those children," Ken said, picking up the pace. "He didn't give them those spores for nothing, so he's gonna track them down sooner or later. All of those kids go to Odeiba Elementary school, so that girl's gotta be there."  
  
"What do we do when we find her?" Kari asked.  
  
Ken didn't answer. He really didn't know.  
  
~*~  
  
Noriko stood, paralyzed, staring upward with an empty gaze. Her body was glowing violet like all the others. The dark flower had begun to bloom and Varia could feel its energy even before it opened all the way.  
  
She raised her hand and waved it in the air, left then right. Noriko's head followed, tilting slowly, left then right. Whether she actually saw the movement or was simply sensing it, Varia did not know, nor did she care.  
  
The last petal of the flower opened. Her fingers hovered above it, playing with the foggy glow before lowering to touch it.  
  
"Hey!" a voice cried out from behind. Varia jerked her head up in surprise, but keeping enough control to make sure Noriko stayed under her spell. She turned and saw several children, the black-haired boy from the van included, staring at her.  
  
They didn't have their digimon with them, she noticed. Probably didn't see the need to bring the heavy artillery for confronting a human.  
  
"Those kids!" she whispered sharply.  
  
Eliminate them, a voice in her head commanded.  
  
~*~  
  
The digidestined had passed the Odeiba Elementary and was about to check around the back of the school building when Yolei spotted the raven-haired girl in an alley. She had her back to them, and seemed to be in conversation with someone else. The children quickly hid out of sight and kept watch.  
  
The girl looked about the age of the older digidestined, about sixteen or so. Her shabby cloth from their previous encounter had been replaced with a blue outfit that looked quite expensive. A river of black hair hung loose down her back, almost reaching her waist. In front of her, another girl was standing and gazing up, not at her companion, but rather emptily, at some imaginary point in space.  
  
They were not talking. The older girl was holding her hand up in a natural pose, as if showing off a ring to the younger. An odd glow surrounded both of them, and as the digidestined watched in disbelief, a small shadow appeared on the younger girl's head, and began to grow into a sprout-shape object. Another few seconds passed, and the sprout became a flower bulb that began to bloom.  
  
"Maybe we should've brought our digimon," T.K. said, looking a little nervous.  
  
"Eh, we don't need them," Davis said confidently. "I mean, she's still a human, right? Even with Myotismon in her, what can she do to us?"  
  
The others kept silent as the older girl began to trail her fingers along the strange flower that had bloomed. Tendrils of violet smoke drifted about her and lingered before seeping into her body.  
  
"I... I think she's absorbing that girl's energy," Yolei stammered.  
  
"Oh my god," Ken gasped. Before his friends could hold him back, he burst into the alley and shouted, "Hey!"  
  
The girl started but did not loose control of her victim. Slowly, carefully, she turned around and faced him. The rest of the digidestined joined him at his side, but Ken barely noticed. The girl had changed since their trip to the strange dimension. She no longer looked shabby and weak. Instead, she reminded him of an ice queen he had seen in a movie—cold and beautiful. Her features were sharp and gorgeous, accompanied well by her stunning figure. Under any under circumstances, she could be mistaken as a princess, or at least a young woman of royal birth, brought up in luxury and kept sweet and vulnerable all her life. But there was a look in her eyes that rendered all that impossible. She stared at Ken and he could feel her eyes bore into him. His mouth felt dry.  
  
"What do you think you're doing?" he called out. It sounded a lot weaker than he had meant for it to.  
  
"Just getting some work done," the girl answered calmly, her voice was like venomous honey.  
  
"All right," Davis shouted. "Step away from that girl and no one gets hurt."  
  
"Oh?" A dry laugh. "If anyone's going to get hurt, it's you, assuming you get in the way of my business."  
  
"So much for cooperation," Cody murmured.  
  
"Look, let's be reasonable here," T.K. said, trying to sound stern. "There's six of us and one of you. You can't win. So just let the girl go and we'll be on our way."  
  
An angry spark shun in the girl's eyes. The digidestined shook a bit in their place, but moved forward on all sides of her. She didn't even bother to look at them. One arm went out and in a flash the younger girl was in front of her, still dazed, pressed into her chest. The older girl curled one of her hands into a claw and held it on her victim's throat. The dark flower wavered with the sudden movement but still stood.  
  
"I don't want to hurt you and I don't want to hurt her," she said as casually as if discussing the weather. "But if you get in my way, I won't be responsible for my actions."  
  
Ken gulped and searched his brain for anything to day and came up with nothing. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Davis take a step forward.  
  
"Oh come on," he heard his friend say. "You can't do anything to her before we gang up on you and take her. And what can you do to us? Even with Myotismon in you?" He was calling her bluff, Ken knew, and he silently admired his friend's guts and cursed him for been so reckless.  
  
That was when the anger in the girl really showed. Her full, pretty lips pulled into a snarl as she suddenly let the younger girl go and pulled her arms back in an odd fashion. Ken heard Kari gasp in horror and wondered what was happening.  
  
"Grisly Wing!" The girl shouted. Kari and T.K. screamed and shielded their faces. Before the others could figure out what was going on, they were surrounded by thousands of bats, coming at them from all directions. Frantically, Ken swung his arms trying to keep the animals away. He was dimly aware of someone going toward the young girl and grabbing her before she hit the ground. Chittering and flapping sounds filled the air, accompanied by the terrified shrieks of the digidestined. After what seemed like an eternity, the bats finally disappeared.  
  
Yolei was sitting on the ground, still shielding her face with one arm and holding the young girl's head in her lap with the other. Kari was standing above them, holding them both and hiding them from the bat's bites. The girl was pale and empty-eyed but unhurt. The flower on her head was gone and so was the eerie glow.  
  
The raven-haired princess was nowhere to be seen.  
  
~*~  
  
On the rooftop of a suburban house just a block from Odeiba Elementary School, a figure crouched like a hunting animal, watching the digidestined walk way, with one boy carrying her latest victim.  
  
You did poorly, my sweet, the voice in her head said. She hung her head and shuddered at its coldness.  
  
"I didn't want to hurt anyone," she said.  
  
You should have gotten rid of them, once and for all. The voice was hard.  
  
"It wasn't even a fair fight," Varia tried her best to sound convincing. "They didn't even have their digimon."  
  
Do not argue with me, the voice said curtly. You disobeyed me, Varia, that was not a smart thing to do. A shiver rang through her. She knew he was doing this. He was showing her how cold and uncaring he could be when one disobeys.  
  
"I'm sorry," tears were coming even thought she tried to hold them back.  
  
The chill disappeared and was replaced by tepid warmth. She felt his hand again, soothing her, caressing her, assuring her that everything was all right. As long as she did her job, his way.  
  
Don't fret, darling, he said to her. You merely have a lot to learn. Those children, you see, they stand in the way of our path to a better world. Yes, it is a shame should they die so young, but is it not a sacrifice you are willing to make?  
  
His heat was all over her now. She closed her eyes and let it take over. There was nothing else on her mind now except going back to the cabin, lie down on the bed, and sing for him. It was like been on a wonderful drug, one that could not be cured and no patient would ever want it cured.  
  
"My life for you," she whispered.  
  
~*~  
  
"She attacked you?" Tai asked in disbelief. His sister sat at her desk, with her back to him, nodded her head slowly, as if with effort. Gatomon was on the floor, looking like a very unhappy kitty.  
  
"The way she did it," Kari's voice was shaky. "It was like Myotismon came back. She released the bats and they obeyed her completely. And that look in her eyes..." She buried her face in her hands.  
  
"But how could she?" Tai said, sounding exasperated. "She's human, isn't she? Even if Myotismon could tell her about his attacks, she shouldn't be able to use them, right? This doesn't make sense!"  
  
"I know," Kari said quietly. "I know."  
  
Her brother stood up and began to pace the room. "Then we have a new enemy," he said. "A human, who can attack us but we can't attack her."  
  
"We beat Ken," Gatomon said, trying to ease the situation. "Maybe all we have to do is get through to her."  
  
"But this is different," Tai said. "First of all, she has Myotismon's knowledge and ambition, since he's obviously driving her. Second, Myotismon is an ultimate level digimon, and that much power should never be taken lightly, especially in a human. And the most important thing is that we can't attack her like we do a digimon because she won't be able to stand it, since she is a human, after all. But she's not going to hesitate to attack us, and with her been as powerful as Kari said, we may not even stand a chance one-on-one."  
  
"We should've talked to her," Kair mumbled from her desk. "We were trying to get that girl she had, but we should've tried to TALK to her. Oh god..."  
  
Tai put his arm around his sister. "It's not your fault," he said. "She probably wouldn't have listened. At least you guys got Noriko back, and that's helpful because now we can keep a watch on her to wait for that girl to show up."  
  
Kari nodded and but kept her face hidden in her palms. She didn't want her brother to see her tears.  
  
~*~  
  
"Please don't tell me I'm in your way  
  
I want your love more and more each day  
  
Don't give it up now  
  
All of my heart is in it  
  
You can't walk away  
  
Never give it up now  
  
Taking it to the limit  
  
Do you feel the same  
  
As I do  
  
Walking you to your door  
  
Fell my heart sinking  
  
Give me chance boy don't turn me down  
  
I can be anything  
  
All that you wanted  
  
I'll be your king and you can wear my crown  
  
You get stronger everyday  
  
Don't you know  
  
That you've been on my mind  
  
Don't give up now  
  
All of my heart is in it..."  
  
To Be Continued... 


	5. Part 5

Part 5  
  
More snow fell at dusk. Varia sat at the cold window, gazing outside, savoring the peacefulness of the forest. She had dismissed Arukenimon and Mummymon, mostly because their presence made her uneasy, but also because she didn't like seeing them cower before her like slaves. Although according to her prince, that's precisely what they were.  
  
He was resting. Every now and then, she simply felt him drift away, to sleep perhaps. He needed to conserve whatever energy he could for building his new body. When he wasn't around, Varia felt herself again—cold, weak, and just a little lonely. But it was also the only time she had to herself, to sit and merely think.  
  
The snow was beautiful, falling from the sky and dancing in the air like white fairies. Before, snow had meant nothing but frostbites and the frantic search for shelter. Now, in the warmth of the cabin, she saw for the first time just how lovely it really was.  
  
The pines stood silently in the coming night, like soldiers marching off to war, but also had a shy, vulnerable look to them. Their shadows formed long streaks on the white ground. She gazed dreamily at each one, marking its beauty and uniqueness.  
  
Wait.  
  
A movement caught her eye. Among the tall trees, a figure glided stealthily in the shade. It was too big to be a human, but bore a certain resemblance in build. As she watched, it moved from behind a cluster of snow-covered bushes to a shaded area under some branches. It was moving closer to the cabin.  
  
Her first reaction was fear, fear of what, she didn't know. She doubted that whatever it was could hurt her, with her newfound powers and all. What she guessed she feared was that someone had found out what she was up to, and would take her away for punishment.  
  
But she hadn't done anything wrong... right?  
  
A thick jacket way hanging by the door that led outside, provided somehow by Arukenimon. Varia reached out and grabbed it, tossing it on as she headed outside. Her shoes crunched on the snow underfoot, but no other sound was heard. The forest stood empty.  
  
Except for the rustling to the right of her. Even without the assistance of Myotismon, her senses had sharpened drastically. The sound was a combination of footsteps and falling snow, she could tell, and it was getting closer, then stopping, as if hesitating.  
  
"Is anyone there?" she called out, a little nervously. The sun was almost completely set now. In a few minutes, the woods would be cloaked in darkness. The rustling came again and she turned in its direction, spotting a large figure, moving slowly away from her.  
  
"Wait!" she cried, taking a few steps toward it. "Do you need help?"  
  
Whatever it was stopped, as if thinking, then turned back and stepped out of the shadows. Varia saw right away that it was not human. It was nearly twice her height and resembled a combination of a bull and a dragon. The armor it wore was steel-plated and also black. Long blades extruded from its hands like claws. She gasped and tried to back away, both something in her mind held her there. She cleared her throat.  
  
"Are you a digimon?" The question sounded a bit stupid. The other nodded but said nothing. She wondered if it talked at all. "Do you need help?"  
  
The other made no move for a long moment, then spoke with a deep, even voice of a male. "I am looking for a man," he said. "I believe he is called Oikawa."  
  
Varia searched her mind quickly for a face to match the name. The stern eyes of the pale man appeared before her eyes. She winced. "He's not here anymore," she said.  
  
Without another word, the digimon turned and began to walk back into the forest. She hesitated for a second before making to move to chase after him.  
  
"Hold on," she called. "Who are you? Are you a friend of his?"  
  
The digimon cast a look at her over his shoulder. "He and I are hardly friends," he said. "I merely have some questions, and I believe he has the answers."  
  
For some reason, she knew well that the one with answers was not the pale man, but Myotismon.  
  
"Well, maybe I can answer them," she offered helpfully.  
  
The other started to leave again. "No need, I will return later when he is around."  
  
"He's not coming back." Varia felt a stab of guilt. "He's... he's dead."  
  
The digimon halted at that, startled. Apparently he had not expected that. He spun around and faced her. She saw that his eyes were a hard yellow. "What do you mean he's dead," he demanded.  
  
"I mean he's dead," she said softly. "He's not coming back. I... well, I guess I'm sort of responsible. At least partially."  
  
The digimon sighed and gazed into the distance, as if unsure what to do. Varia looked at him for a while and laid a hand on his arm gently.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said. "Why don't you come with me? Whatever questions you have, I will answer them or try to."  
  
He studied her for a while. "I doubt you can help."  
  
She tugged him lightly toward the cabin. "Give me a chance."  
  
For a moment she was certain he would object, but to her surprise, he followed her to the lodge, having to duck to fit in the door. A fact suddenly hit her: he was lonely, not unlike herself.  
  
"What's your name?" she asked.  
  
"Black Wargraymon."  
  
"I'm Varia."  
  
~*~  
  
"Do you want a drink?" Varia asked her new companion. Arukenimon and Mummymon were around, but she didn't want them near. For some reason, she felt more at ease with this strange digimon than those two.  
  
"No." Black Wargraymon said simply. He stood a few feet from the doorway, scanning the room carefully.  
  
Varia lit a fire in the fireplace and sat down on the couch, gesturing for the digimon to do the same. He did, little reluctantly. She leaned back, trying to appear relaxed and get him to do the same. "So what questions do you have, Black Wargraymon?"  
  
He was gazing ahead emptily, not looking at her. "I am searching for the meaning of my existence," he said.  
  
Varia had no idea how to answer that. "You think Oikawa knows that?" she asked.  
  
"I was created by the one you know as Arukenimon," Black Wargraymon said, his voice emotionless. "As far as I know, Oikawa controls her, therefore he is behind her motives. I wish to know why I was created."  
  
Varia was silent. The large digimon turned to her briefly, as if expecting her to answer. She twiddled her fingers mindlessly, searching for words.  
  
"I guess I don't know why you were created," she said regretfully. As she thought, he began to stand. "But I can relate you know." He paused at this. "I have no family, not anymore, and I've been drifting the streets for many years. There were times when I wondered if I have no purpose at all. But that changed."  
  
Black Wargraymon appeared slightly interested. "Really?" he asked.  
  
She nodded. "I found a cause," she said. "I have something to live for, and that's enough. You know, in this life you've got to find your own purpose. The reason of your creation doesn't matter; because that's something you can't change. But that doesn't mean your life has to have no meaning. You can find your own purpose in existence." She looked at him. "At least I believe that."  
  
He said nothing, simply sat still, seeming to ponder her words. There was no sound in the cabin save for the cackling fire. Varia was suddenly worried that she had said the wrong thing until Black Wargraymon spoke up.  
  
"Thank you," he said.  
  
"What for?"  
  
"For telling me all this. It doesn't answer my question, but I doubt I need the answers anymore."  
  
Varia smiled. Black Wargraymon stood and began to leave. "Where are you going?" she asked.  
  
"To find my purpose, I suppose."  
  
She hesitated. "Will you come see me again?"  
  
The digimon stopped at the door. "Do you want me to?" he sounded doubtful. "Not many beings find a visit from me to be a treat."  
  
Varia shrugged. "I do. I don't have many friends."  
  
Black Wargraymon thought that word over. "Friends?"  
  
"If you want to be."  
  
He lowered his gaze. "Good bye, Varia," he said. "Should we meet again, I hope it will be under more pleasant circumstance."  
  
She watched him go out the door, then saw his hulking shadow disappear into the woods. There are too many lonely souls in this world, she thought, but at least now, there is one less.  
  
Deep inside, she felt her prince beginning to stir.  
  
~*~  
  
Ken and Wormmon had followed the girl name Noriko for three days now. As far as Ken knew, the raven-haired young woman had made no move, but that didn't mean she wouldn't in the near future. After all, Noriko still had a dark flower in her, and according to the reports of his friends, all the other children have been extracted of their flowers, making Noriko the last one and their only chance.  
  
Ken watched the petite figure before him turn a corner and disappear into another narrower street. Trying not to appear suspicious, he stopped, counted to ten, and followed, with Wormmon close behind.  
  
However, when he entered the alley, the girl was gone. Shocked, he ran a few feet forward and searched for her. Wormmon looked around, mimicking his partner, but also found nothing. Ken jogged all the way to the end of the alley, and stopped in front of a set of large gates leading into a courtyard.  
  
To his surprise, Noriko was waiting for him at the gate, standing with one hand against the frame and one on her waist defiantly.  
  
"Hey you!" she said curtly. "Don't you know it's impolite to follow people?"  
  
"Uh..." Ken stammered, not finding a good excuse.  
  
"You're Ken Ichijouji, aren't you?" Noriko asked. Before he could answer, she continued. "I know all about you. Every kid in Japan wants to be you, you know. You gave up fame and fortune to be common, pretty stupid if you ask me."  
  
Ken cleared his throat. "Please just hear me out," he said pleadingly. "Been famous isn't as great as you think. It's not an advantage to be me."  
  
"Whatever," she said. "It's a dumb thing to do. Why'd you do it anyway? So others will like you?"  
  
"No," he said quietly. "It's so I would like myself. Listen, that spore in you is dangerous, and..."  
  
Noriko narrowed her eyes. "Why should I listen to you?" she said. "You're nothing now. To me, you're just a little insect. So do me a favor, insect boy, bug off!" She began to walk into the courtyard. "And take your little worm with you."  
  
Wormmon looked hurt. Ken picked him up and chased after the girl. "Wait, hold up..."  
  
She turned and shot an angry look at him that made him screech to a halt. It was not the look that scared him, but the energy he felt on her. There was darkness all around her, trapping her and suffocating her severely, but she didn't even notice. For a second he thought he could see through her, and she appeared to be a hollow shell surrounding nothing much growing evil. As a bearer of dark spores himself, Ken knew what this meant.  
  
Noriko was hours away from turning into a dark tree.  
  
~*~  
  
Varia was alone again.  
  
Well, almost. Myotismon had awakened and she could feel his power, stronger than ever. The time was near for them to separate.  
  
"Who is Black Wargraymon?" she asked.  
  
What brought this on? The voice in her spoke.  
  
"He... he was here. He wanted to talk to Oikawa"—that name made her heart ache with guilt—"and wanted to know why he was created."  
  
Don't bother yourself with him, darling, he's merely the slave of a slave, not worth mentioning.  
  
"But..."  
  
He was a tool, nothing more. There was no room for argument in the voice.  
  
Varia sighed. "He seemed so lonely," she said.  
  
His hands were on her again, touching her gently, rubbing her mind off all thought but how to serve him. Tools don't have feelings, he told her, that's why they are called tools.  
  
She nodded.  
  
Now then, we have some unfinished business, don't we? What's her name? Noriko?  
  
Another nod. Words seemed useless at this point. The hunt had to be finished and the time of rebirth drew near.  
  
~*~  
  
Ken was just a few steps from Noriko and was about to grab her by the shoulder when she started to scream. The sound was ear-piercing and full of pain. He pulled back in horror as purple fog began to ooze from the girl, wrapping her in a thick violet blanket. She clutched her head, then her body, hugging herself and squeezing her eyes shut, trembling as the darkness began to swallow her.  
  
"Ken, do something, please," Wormmon pleaded, tugging on his partner's pant leg. But Ken merely froze there, one hand still extended.  
  
"I... I don't know what to do!" he stammered and began to back away. "This isn't right! This is happening too soon!" he cried desperately as if it made a difference. The girl's skin was beginning to change color. Her eyes darkened until the whites and pupils blended into a unified black.  
  
A hand pressed into Ken's back and shoved him aside. He staggered to keep from falling, and saw a familiar figure approaching Noriko, black hair trailing in the breeze. Knowing at once who it was, he straightened and pulled out his digivice.  
  
"Hey!" he shouted. "Leave her alone or you'll be sorry!"  
  
No response indicated that the newcomer had heard him. Noriko was no longer screaming. She had fallen to her knees and was shaking as if in a seizure. The raven-haired young woman raised one hand, and Noriko rose, pulled by an invisible force. She hovered in the air, her feet barely touching the ground. The fog around her was thickening still, blanketing both girls.  
  
Ken clenched his teeth. "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this," he murmured. "Ready, Wormmon?"  
  
Wormmon was looking very apprehensive. "Should we call the others?" he asked.  
  
"There's no time. We have to get her away from Noriko first."  
  
~*~  
  
The boy had said something to her, but Varia didn't hear. She was watching Noriko intensely. The child was obviously in great pain, and was shaking uncontrollably. For a moment she felt panic, certain that the girl would die right in front of her. Time was running out.  
  
Go ahead, her prince instructed. Relieve her pain.  
  
Lightly, carefully, she channeled her power toward Noriko, and almost turned and ran when the bolt of energy charged out of the girl and toward her. It was so strong, and so dark. Carefully, Varia lifted the girl off the ground, levitating her in the midair and focused on the draining.  
  
Nothing.  
  
She concentrated harder. Nothing still. The girl's eyes had rolled back and her limbs were going limp. There was too much darkness in her to be drawn from the outside, and time was running out.  
  
You know what to do, the voice in her said.  
  
"No," Varia whispered. "That could kill her."  
  
She'll die anyway.  
  
"I, I can't." But she knew there was no other choice. Slowly, she tilted Noriko's chin upward and began to move her lips toward the girl's mouth.  
  
"Hey!" she had almost forgotten about the boy called Ken. Out of her peripheral vision, she saw him holding a small device in his hand, aiming it at his digimon. There was a strong burst of light that made her shield her eyes.  
  
"WORMMON DIGIVOLVE TO... STINGMON!!"  
  
She had seen it done before, but it still looked impressive. The boy's little worm-light digimon had grown into a towering green giant that resembled a prehistoric bee. Realizing that she may be in for a battle, Varia quickly drew Noriko close again, hurrying to complete the power drain.  
  
The same moment that Stingmon restrained her was the moment the darkness in her exploded. She felt her prince grow strong in an instant. A second later she knew that she a visitor in her own body. Myotismon had fully taken over.  
  
She felt her face twist into a hard snarl as Noriko fell from her spell onto the ground. Her hands suddenly expanded in size and morphed into a hideous claw.  
  
"Nightmare Claw!"  
  
There was a terrified look on Ken's face as his digimon flew past him and collided hard with the courtyard wall. It shuddered and glowed weakly before returning to its old worm form. She crawled shakily to her feet as her hand returned to normal. Her mouth opened and the voice that same out was that of the dark prince.  
  
"And now for you," Myotismon said to Ken, was cradling Wormmon and preparing to run away.  
  
NO! she shouted, but no sound came out.  
  
Her hands drew back, brimming with heat. She tried to fight it but Myotismon was in full control.  
  
You can't do this! Again, no sound.  
  
"Crimson Lightning!" a red arc swung though the yard, lighting the stones and grass. Ken ducked out of the way but not fast enough. Varia watched the young boy been tossed into the air like a rag doll, flying at least ten feet before landing head first on the hard pavement. The 'crack' may or may not have been her imagination. She didn't want to find out.  
  
No movements came for a long moment, then his head rose up a bit as he attempted to rise, only to be seized by a fit of coughing that was followed by a fine spray of blood. Wormmon rushed to his side and attempted to help but had no way of doing so.  
  
A loud, malicious laugh rung out. It took her a minute to realize that it was coming from her. She felt her body move, her hand reach out and seize Noriko. Her mouth was then pressed against the girl's, but the act was nowhere near affection. Power poured into her body as her lips pulsated hard, sucking every bit of energy from the wilted body.  
  
Gathering every last ounce of control she still had, Varia shoved the girl away. Noriko fell and stayed down. The fog disappeared. Her chest rose and lowered with shallow breathing. Varia felt her own body shaking with power, about to burst.  
  
She began to gag and retch. All at once, the dark heat poured out of her. She coughed and dropped to her hands and knees. A new figure solidified in the courtyard. When she raised her eyes, she saw an exact double of herself.  
  
The double smiled slyly and spoke with the voice of Myotismon.  
  
"You've served me well, Varia."  
  
Still dazed and kneeling, she batted away the hand offered by the double.  
  
"Why?" she croaked. "You're hurting all these people... all for nothing!"  
  
"Small price to pay," the double answered.  
  
Varia lowered her head. "No," she said. "No, it's not. Life is not a small price to pay. You're evil. I don't want to have anything to do with you anymore."  
  
The double shrugged. "You loss." It turned to Ken. "And now to finish you off."  
  
Ken, who seemed too preoccupied with his own pain, appeared oblivious to this. Varia saw that the front of his cloth was dotted with crimson. More blood was dripping out of his mouth, spotting the ground. Wormmon nudged him nervously as the boy coughed and spat out what was likely a tooth.  
  
The double drew a battle position and got ready to attack. Varia took one look at the cruel smile on its face and knew what to do. Just before the attack was issued, she leaped to her feet and threw her self between Ken and Myotismon.  
  
There was light... and so much red... 


	6. Part 6

Part 6  
  
When she returned to the lodge, she was not surprised that it was empty. Although the furniture was still in place, the small cabin had a sense of abandonment. Arukenimon and Mummymon were gone, undoubted to follow their master. That was fine with her. She didn't feel like company, especially theirs.  
  
Wearily, Varia slumped into the red sofa in the living room. The room was completely surrounded by darkness and she estimated that it was probably eight in the evening. The dark was rather comforting to her, soothing and calm.  
  
She didn't know why she came back here, perhaps it was because of the cold outside. Well, it was cold inside, too, and without Myotismon inside her, her body was returning to normal, once again vulnerable and weak.  
  
With her head tilted back limply, she stared at the ceiling and saw it all again...  
  
~*~  
  
The explosion was loud, and when she opened her eyes, she saw that she was still standing. Clouds of dust were flying in the air, so thick that she could hardly see more than a foot ahead. When they finally cleared, she saw her double standing there, on the other side of the courtyard. Between them lay a smoking crater, only inches from her feet. Looking down, she saw that her cloth was covered with soot and there were small scratches on her body where skin was exposed, from the flying pieces of concrete and debris.  
  
Some dust got into her mouth. She coughed.  
  
"I spare you this once, Varia," spoke the voice of Myotismon, the dark lord of virus digimon. "But only this once. You gave me life, so I am returning the favor." The double's arm rose and sliced at the empty air. A slit appeared in space, glowing vibrantly. "Last chance, darling," the double said smoothly, "You can join me now on the other side, or risk been destroyed with the rest of the pathetic digi fools."  
  
Tears were forming in her eyes. They stung as she tried unsuccessfully to blink them away. Unable to meet his eyes, Varia shifted her gaze to the gray sky. Storm clouds were gathering, as if in mourning of the many souls lost.  
  
"I'm not like you," she croaked, trying to keep her voice even.  
  
There was anger in the other's face, she knew because it was her own. For a moment she thought the dark prince would change his mind and kill her on the spot, but the rage vanished as quickly as it had came.  
  
"Suit yourself," the double said. "Just remember, I owe you nothing. If you choose to join these meddlesome children, we will be enemies when we cross path again."  
  
Varia watched the other turn and step into the light and disappear into the unknown world.  
  
Behind her, the dark-haired boy moaned weakly. In her own thoughts, she had nearly forgotten about him. His digimon, the little worm-like creature, was looking at her nervously. She gave him a weak smile before taking off her jacket and wrapping it around the child on the ground.  
  
When she brushed his hair out of his face, she saw how terribly young he was, so youthful, but so strong and brave. Even in his condition, his eyes shun brightly, almost defiantly, as if refusing to admit defeat. She wiped away most of the blood off of his face and noticed with relief that he had stopped bleeding from the mouth. His gaze wondered for a bit before focusing on her.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said weakly. "I'm so sorry..."  
  
The boy sighed. "Call... my friends," he said, straining terribly. "Please... my friends... call..." he was overcome by a fit of coughs.  
  
The digimon tugged at her sleeve and she saw that it was pulling her toward a device that resembled an electronic organizer. Carefully, she turned it on and began to type.  
  
"You name is Ken, isn't it?"  
  
He nodded slightly.  
  
"My name is Varia." Her voice was trembling but she knew she had to say it before she lost the nerve. "I'm very sorry, Ken, for everything that happened. I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt. I... I thought I was doing the world a good deed. He... told me a lot of things..."  
  
The boy didn't reply, but he smiled. It was better than a thousand words to see the slight curve of his pale lips. She knew, right then and there, that he was going to be alright.  
  
~*~  
  
She had stayed with him, sitting by his side and talking, both to him and herself. When the other children showed up, however, she had left without a word to them, walking out the front door of the courtyard before they spotted her. Not knowing where else to go in the chilly winter, Varia came back to the cabin in the woods and simply sat in the silence, pondering her next move.  
  
Assuming there was one.  
  
Standing, she left the living room and wondered the house. There was a draft coming from the hall. Peering into one of the bedrooms, she saw that a window was broken, leaving a jagged hole in the center of the glass and large shards scattered on the floor. The wind was beginning to howl outside, blowing into the lodge and ruffling the silk sheets on which she had lied on just a few days ago, dreaming and singing to her dark prince.  
  
The cloth provided for her by Arukenimon from before were still there. Myotismon obviously had no use for them. She vaguely considered changing into something more comfortable, but saw no point in it. Her eyes wondered from the silent closet to the stone cold bed and finally stopped on the broken window.  
  
Early moonlight gleamed off the edge of one roughly shaped triangular piece of glass lying on the floor. Its tip was long and sharp. She walked to it and knelt by its side.  
  
Picking it up, she ran her finger across its edge, feeling the stinging cold and hardness. It was calming to be holding it, as if it was a magical object that gave her control of her own destiny.  
  
His words rung in her mind. She remembered the dreams she had of him, the nights spent longing for his touch. When he was insider her, she felt warm and safe. Now, they're all lies. Lies and nothing more. The heat within her just a few hours ago were replaced by an undeniable sense of emptiness.  
  
People got hurt.  
  
And the creatures they called digimon.  
  
She didn't know what they were, but one thing was for sure: they were alive. They could feel pain, and loss.  
  
The pain and loss that she helped cause.  
  
She ran her hand along the piece of glass again. It was beginning to look warm, inviting, like a long, safe rest after a hard day.  
  
~*~  
  
The last one to leave Ken's side was Davis.  
  
Wearily, he watched his friend sleep with Wormmon in his lap. The hospital chair was lumpy and felt like it was bruising his rear and the room was draft with grimy floors, but Davis didn't want to leave. He wanted to talk to Ken, find out what happened.  
  
When they found him, Ken was barely conscious and seriously injured, although fortunately none of which was fatal. He had two cracked ribs and a broken nose, along with various bleeding cuts. One wound on his forehead needed two stitches, thank heavens it wasn't more. Now he slept under the influence of painkillers.  
  
Davis had called Ken's parents and was thankful that they already know about their son's relationship with the digital world. They came and had left just a few minutes ago. Although Ken's mother did not cry, Davis could see the grief and pain in her eyes. She had already lost one son, and with her only other child lying pale in a hospital bed, Davis thought she showed a lot of strength and control.  
  
"Aren't you tired, Davis?" Wormmon asked.  
  
"I guess a little," he rubbed his eyes. "But I want to be here when Ken wakes up."  
  
"I know, but you should get some rest."  
  
Davis took a look at Ken's sleeping form and sighed. "I guess you're right," he said. "Come on, I'll take you home."  
  
"Can't I stay with him?"  
  
"Yeah, and how exactly do you explain you been here to the nurse?"  
  
"I can say I'm an intern."  
  
"You're a talking worm."  
  
"Oh." Wormmon said sadly, as if just realizing that fact. "OK."  
  
They were just at the door when Ken began to stir.  
  
"...Davis?"  
  
He turned back quickly and saw his friend looking at him through slightly swollen eyes. Wormmon quickly bounded onto the bed and snuggled in the crook of Ken's neck.  
  
"Are you OK, Ken?" Davis asked tentatively.  
  
"I will be." Ken tried weakly to smiled. "I could hear everyone's voice in my sleep... I wasn't dreaming, was I?"  
  
"No, everyone was here a while ago but you weren't awake." Davis sat back on the lumpy chair. "Ken... what happened?"  
  
Ken turned his face up and stared into space, as if in a daze. "She save my life, Davis," he said quietly. "That girl... I was about to die, and she saved me."  
  
"Wait, back up," Davis said. "She was the one who was trying to kill us, remember? You sure se didn't just book you for a later date?"  
  
Ken's head moved to one side slightly, then to the other side. It was the closest he could do to shaking. "Myotismon was in her," he said. "He was using her to absorb power from the children. I guess she broke away in the end. He's not in her anymore. Now he has a new body and when he came out of her, he tried to kill me. And she..." he coughed.  
  
Davis reached for a glass of water sitting on the nightstand but stopped when Ken shook his head again.  
  
"She saved me. She threw herself in front of me."  
  
"Wow," Davis breathed. "Is she hurt?  
  
"No. I guess Myotismon still liked her or something. He missed on purpose. Then... he opened a new portal. It led to the digital world, or at least I hope it does, because if it led to that strange place we were at last time, then we have no way of finding him."  
  
"But if he's in the digital world, then it's in danger!" Davis leaped up. "I'll tell the others! We must find out where he went!" He began to head out.  
  
"He's such a hot head," Wormmon muttered, jumping off the bed to follow the boy. "I'll see you tomorrow, Ken."  
  
"Good luck," Ken said to the retreating shadows of his friends.  
  
~*~  
  
As days passed, Varia spent most of her time sleeping, cuddling up on the red couch and dreaming of a different life. Each time she woke, there would be tears in her eyes and she would choke them back and return to her slumber. As far as she knew, there was no reason to stay awake.  
  
The piece of glass was still around. She had sat it on top of the mantel, where she could see it in between fits of unconsciousness.  
  
Life had lost its meaning. Oddly, during the little time she was awake, she thought not of the children, nor Myotismon. Instead, she thought of the dark mysterious digimon who came to visit her on that night. Black Wargraymon.  
  
She had told him that the important thing in life was to find your own purpose. But what happens when you discover that you have no purpose except be someone else's tool?  
  
No purpose.  
  
No life.  
  
No matter how hard you try, you fail.  
  
Wonder where he is now?  
  
Somewhere, finding his purpose while I have lost mine.  
  
Good for him.  
  
I hate myself.  
  
Varia sat up with some effort. She had slept and not eaten for too many days. The sense of time was lost on her.  
  
The glass shard was still on the mantel.  
  
Her gaze fixed on it.  
  
~*~  
  
"I've located the portal in Noriko's yard," Izzy informed the others. "How is she, by the way?"  
  
"Rattled," Cody replied. The others were gathered around the screen of Izzy's computer, looking at a map of the digital world. "We called an ambulance and left before it arrived so we wouldn't have to explain the situation. She was breathing normal when we left."  
  
Izzy nodded and pointed to a red spot on the map. "This is the location the portal leads to."  
  
"Then what are we waiting for?" Davis exclaimed. "Let's go!"  
  
"Not so fast, Davis," Izzy said. "That specific portal cannot be reopened. I will have to send you all to a location nearby, where you can reach the area undetected."  
  
Davis sighed in exasperation. "How long is that going to take?"  
  
"Cool your jets, will ya?" T.K. said. "We have to do this carefully. Myotismon could be much stronger than he was before. We can't just rush in there and challenge him."  
  
"... why not?"  
  
Yolei and Kari rolled their eyes.  
  
"I suggest you all go home and let your digimon rest," Izzy announced. "Tomorrow is going to be a big day."  
  
~*~  
  
Varia slept again.  
  
This time she dreamed of her prince. Except in this dream, he was no longer dark. Instead, he was kind to her, and beautiful, and he was hers.  
  
When she woke, she cried.  
  
~*~  
  
The digidestined stood in the school computer lab. There was an air of apprehension lingering in the room. They all knew that the others were nervous, and they all wondered whether they themselves would have what it takes when the time came.  
  
"Are you ready?" Izzy asked.  
  
They nodded. Davis wished silently that Ken want Wormmon were here as he did so.  
  
"Be carefully."  
  
"We will," Gatomon said. She seemed the calmest of all. The others looked at her with a little envy.  
  
Kari stepped forward. "Digiport, open!"  
  
~*~  
  
She had the piece of glass in her hand and was fondling it again, flipping it over in her fingers. The wind was howling again outside. She didn't care.  
  
In the smooth surface of the glass, she saw her own face.  
  
~*~  
  
The area they appeared in was a deeply wooded hill of Server. The trees were so tall that they completely covered the sky.  
  
"OK, which direction do we go?" Yolei asked, surveying the land.  
  
"I think we should head to his castle," Patamon commented, pointing to a spot in the distance. "I bet he's there."  
  
"How do you know it's that way?" Hawkmon said. He pointed to a different direction. "I think it's that way."  
  
"No, it's that way," Gatomon said, pointing to yet another direction. "I used to live there, I know."  
  
"But..."  
  
"You digi fools are pathetic," spoke a familiar voice. The group turned as one and found themselves staring into the face of the dark haired girl. Two more figures appeared behind her—Arukenimon and Mummymon, in their digimon form.  
  
"Hey! You're Varia, aren't you?" Davis called. "I thought you were on our side."  
  
The other laughed. "Davis," it said. "I should have known you would find your way to the digidestined some day."  
  
"What... Hey! You're Myotismon!" Davis said, a little stupidly.  
  
"You are correct." With a snap of a finger, Arukenimon and Mummymon sprung to the children, claws extended.  
  
The digidestined pulled out their digivices.  
  
"DNA Digivolve!'  
  
~*~  
  
It was odd. She could feel him.  
  
It was almost like he was right in the room with her, but also far away at the same time.  
  
I don't want him, she thought firmly. But inside, she knew it was lie.  
  
She looked at the piece of glass in her hand, then as her soft, vulnerable skin.  
  
I wonder if this will hurt.  
  
~*~  
  
Arukenimon was thrown back heavily onto the ground by a blow from Silphymon. She was immediately followed by Mummymon, who took a hit from Shakkoumon and landed next to her. The digidestined cheered as the three DNA digimon advanced on the viruses.  
  
"Useless fools," the "girl" muttered. The children watched her approached the two henchmen. In a blink of eye, her arms reached out and morphed into giant claws. She clamped them around the necks of the two. "If you want something done right, do it yourself."  
  
In a flash of light and heat, screams were heard. When it passed, Arukenimon and Mummymon were gone, shattered into data and absorbed by their master.  
  
Before the horrified eyes of the children, the Varia-look-alike began to expand, the way a butterfly grew in its cocoon. Its skin was stretched like a plastic sack and its features were distorted and enlarged. A slit torn open on its back as a huge form burst out.  
  
"He's changing into his real form!" Kari shouted.  
  
"But into what?" T.K. said. "Myotismon or Venom Myotismon?"  
  
The new digimon emerged into the digital world. It was the size of Venom Myotismon "Actually," it growled. "You can call me MaloMyotismon!"  
  
"Oh man," Davis gasped. "Oh man oh man oh man..."  
  
~*~  
  
She scratched her name on the floor first. She didn't know why she did it, but she did it anyway. Looking at her name gave her a peace of mind, and a comfort that her mark will be left on the earth.  
  
Next to her name, she scratched "Blade".  
  
~*~  
  
"Crimson Mist!"  
  
X-Veemon groaned as he was tossed back like a limp rag and slammed against a thick tree. He stayed down for a moment before dedigivolving into Veemon.  
  
Davis was shocked. "Veemon!" he cried and rushed to his friend's aid.  
  
MaloMyotismon laughed. "Who's next?" he snarled.  
  
"Come on, Silphymon!" Yolei shouted. "Take him out!"  
  
"You, too, Shakkoumon!" Cody called. "Attack him together! He can't take on two at once!"  
  
Silphymon and Shakkoumon prepared their attacks. The digidestined noticed with slight panic that their opponent wasn't the least bit shaken.  
  
"Static Force!"  
  
"Justice Beam!"  
  
The attacks bounced off harmlessly from MaloMyotismon's armor. The evil digimon's face split into a cruel grin. Energy began to gather around it.  
  
"Screaming Darkness!"  
  
When then dark mist cleared, the DNA digimon were gone. A group of unconscious rookie digimon lay on the ground, covered in soot and unmoving.  
  
The digidestined rushed to their partners, terrified and dreading what might happen next.  
  
~*~  
  
Oddly, it didn't hurt as the glass went into her skin.  
  
Dazed, Varia watched the sharp tip sink into her left wrist. Thick red liquid seeped out of the wound and pooled on her arm before dripping onto the floor.  
  
No pain. No pain at all. She was relieved as she began to pull the glass slowly along, lengthening the wound. More blood oozed out. It almost seemed beautiful to her, the never-ending river of life.  
  
Softly, she began to sing. It was as much a song as it was a dream.  
  
"I've sure enjoyed the rain  
  
but I'm looking forward to the sun  
  
You have to feel the pain  
  
When you lose the love you gave someone  
  
I thought by now the time  
  
Would take away the lonely tears  
  
I hope you're doing time all alone  
  
But where do I do from here 'cause...  
  
Without you I'm not okay  
  
And without you I've lost my way.  
  
My heart's stuck in second place ooh  
  
Without you..."  
  
~*~  
  
MaloMyotismon surveyed his victory.  
  
The children were cowering on the ground, clutching their digimon and casting nervous glances at him. They didn't run, perhaps already knowing it wouldn't do them any good.  
  
Time to end this.  
  
He took a step toward them, relishing in the fact that they trembled at his presence, even that bull-headed called Davis was looking rather uneasy.  
  
There's no point to hurry. They were within reach. The moment he had been waiting for the last four years had finally come.  
  
He was excited. His heart, or whatever passed for it, was beating in ecstasy.  
  
MaloMyotismon raised his arm and prepared to crush the children along with their digimon with one single attack.  
  
And stopped in midair.  
  
Right above his claws, his lower arm was bleeding.  
  
All at once, her voice droned out everything else.  
  
~*~  
  
"Lying here without you by my side,  
  
It seems unreal to me that  
  
The life you promised was a lie.  
  
You made it look so easy  
  
Making love into memories  
  
I guess you got what you wanted  
  
But what about me 'cause...  
  
Without you I'm not okay  
  
And without you I've lost my way.  
  
My heart's stuck in second place ooh  
  
Without you..."  
  
It still wasn't hurting, although the red puddle on the floor was expanding. Some drops landed on her cloth. To her, they looked like the little hearts on Valentine's Day cards.  
  
She was still singing, feeling the flow of the words as she went along. Losing her life was one thing, but losing her dream was another.  
  
"I love you," she said to the empty space. "And that's a dream, nothing more."  
  
The shard switched from one hand to the other.  
  
~*~  
  
When MaloMyotismon stopped in his tracks, the digidestined knew something was wrong, but it was to their advantage.  
  
Their digimon had recovered in the space of time it took for Malomyotismon to see the new cut on his other arm.  
  
The digivices began to glow. In a flash, the DNA digimon were back and ready to fight.  
  
"Alright, tin face," Davis said. "Round two."  
  
~*~  
  
Somebody tell my head  
  
to try to tell my heart  
  
that I'm better off without you  
  
'cause I can't live...  
  
~*~  
  
Davis said something, but MaloMyotismon didn't hear. Both his arms were bleeding now, and for a moment, he realized that it was both his own blood and that of another. And he could hear her voice undeniably, as clear as the day they had sat on top of the TV station, watching the mist gather in the sky.  
  
"Without you I'm not okay  
  
And without you I've lost my way.  
  
My heart's stuck in second place ooh  
  
Without you..."  
  
She had told him that this song was for a lost love, one that she was sure she would lose someday.  
  
Now, that day had come.  
  
The blood on his arms. The voice in his head.  
  
The ache in his heart.  
  
The digimon of the digidestined were preparing to attack.  
  
He welcomed it.  
  
~*~  
  
"Static Force!"  
  
"Justice Beam!"  
  
"V-Laser!"  
  
The digidestined stood, every muscle tense, watching the attack, certain that it would work, but also dreading a repeat performance of last time.  
  
To their surprise, MaloMyotismon put up no fight. Instead, he stepped back and let the bolts of energy hit him square in the chest.  
  
The explosion was vast.  
  
~*~  
  
Dying didn't hurt.  
  
She could feel life draining out of her body. It was in interesting feeling.  
  
A few minutes passed, she began to feel dizzy.  
  
A few more minutes passed, she laid back on the floor and gazed into space. The red pool around her was thickening. She didn't care.  
  
There was a sound at the front door. For a moment she was certain it was her imagination until the footsteps came. They sounded tired, and with great effort, as if someone was dragging themselves through the hall, toward her.  
  
Thud.  
  
Thud.  
  
When they stopped, she turned her face slowly to the door.  
  
Her prince stood there. He was gazing at her with a look that combined weariness and love. His blue uniform was tattered and filthy and the cape was torn beyond recognition. Slowly, heavily, he entered the room and knelt by her. She saw that his mask was gone, no longer hiding his sapphire blue eyes. There was silence so deep that it felt like they were the only ones in the world.  
  
She tried to speak but found no strength. His hand slipped around hers and she vaguely noticed that he was bleeding from the wrist just like she was. His blood soaked through the sleeve of his shirt and mingled with hers.  
  
He leaned down and kissed her on the lips, first gently, then more passionately. She tried to kiss him back, but once again weakness came over her.  
  
The last thing she remembered was his strong arms around her.  
  
~*~  
  
Myotismon looked at the girl in front of him. He cursed himself for been too late, but there was nothing more he could do.  
  
His body was going, shattering into data bit by bit, he could feel it. At the moment, he held himself together by sheer will, and the desire to be with his love.  
  
The bleeding from his wrists was getting heavier and it took more and more effort to move. His left arm was already starting to glow, the way digimon do when reconfigured. Using all his strength, he slipped his arms under Varia and lifted her off the floor.  
  
He carried her, walking heavily one step at a time, to the bedroom and set her on the bed. She had stopped breathing, but her beauty and the sound of her voice lingered on his mind, and probably will when he goes to...  
  
Well, wherever reconfigured digimon go.  
  
His left arm was almost completely gone now, and his legs were beginning to shatter as well. He knelt by the bed and ran his remaining hand through Varia's hair gently.  
  
Not a sound was in the forest. Even the wind had quieted.  
  
Myotismon kissed her one last time as the reconfiguration sped up.  
  
"I will see you in another life," he whispered weakly, "my princess." 


End file.
